Paul Thurrott usually knows what he is talking about, he is VERY well connected. If only some games required online, why would it be in so many rumors about the console itself? Sure there are rumors that it won't have always-online as a requirement but there are more, from more reliable sources, that say it will. You also have to keep in mind that not every developer is created equally. If one is making a single player game, they might be told about the requirement so that they know while a developer making an online game wouldn't because the main selling point of their game would need online anyway. It could be the reverse situation as well. Yes, rumors have to be taken with some serious salt, but when it is this close to an unveiling, it is much harder to dispute them.

Just look at some of the Wii U rumors that came out in the months before release: Touchscreen on the controller: Yup, Touchscreen controller capable of viewing the main game: Yup, Backwards compatible with the Wii: Yup, better storage solution: Yup (use ANY external up to 2 tb, and as many of those as you want. Infinite space)....and Nintendo is probably the best at keeping secrets in the industry.

PS4 rumors that came out before it was unveiled: Won't play used games: Kind of (includes tech that will allow devs to easily block them, but Sony won't), Touchpad controller: Yup, Cloud streaming games: Yup, Tech specs essentially confirmed really early...I swear I even saw 8gb of GDDR5 as a rumor somehwere, Game sharing: Yup, New PSEye: Yup, Record the last 15 minutes of play and upload it: Yup.

Kinect was rumored that it would be necessary to the overall function of the console and that one has already come true.....

I agree it would be a terrible idea and I hope Microsoft isn't that dumb.....but if anyone is bold enough to try something like that to make it a standard, it's Microsoft. People thought they wouldn't charge people to play online and that XBL was an overall bad idea because too many people didn't have broadband, but they tried it anyway and it paid off. It is likely they talked to third parties, who hate used game sales, and implemented something to attract them as a backup, since new IP's are very risky. They seem to have lost some of Activision's favor since they appeared at the PS4 event, and so MS might have got in contact with their competitor: EA....who already uses some always-online DRM. BF4 isn't officially confirmed for the PS4 which is interesting considering that system has already been announced. Personally, I think it is likely that EA will confirm it for 720 and say that there will be exclusive DLC or early DLC, just like Act. used to with CoD. Microsoft gets the 3rd party shooter and money from the exclusive DLC they sell, and EA gets their DRM and help with servers. Looks like a Win/Win for the companies.

Thing is, the U.S. has a terrible internet infrastructure and it really isn't getting much better. The average speeds used to increase quite nicely quarter by quarter, but they have slowed down to only a 2% increase over last quarter. Only 19% of the country experiences speeds faster than 10mbps, and people that do have 10mpbs might have to deal with frequent maintenance. Europe isn't much better for the most part from what I hear and Japan just hates Microsoft anyway.

It could pay off for them, but I really don't see people taking too kindly to it. Grains of salt and all that.

First of all, its the $99* 360.

Second, it was apparently succcessful enough to expand to the major retailers.

Last, I feel it was also a test run for the next Xbox. Get retailers to offer the subscription model now so the idea isn't completely new to the public.

From more reliable sources<-nope

Paul Thurrott:"no idea"

Kotaku at Feb:treat require online rumor as fact,Kotaku now:not sure

Vgleaks:require online only for mini,not 720

Right now,only edge left,all others become not sure or just no

Btw,i'm not saying it must be not require online because some sites changed,but i guess this crazy rumor will 180 turn and turn and turn everyday until May 21 or E3

I feel Micro would be willing to part ways from this kind of consumers in exchange for more profit. I understand that XboxLive is one of the things that give Micro the most profit so why not direct their machine towards those online efforts. Micro could be willing to have less people buying their console but then  those that do buy their console - a console in which only brand-new (online pass bought) games work and that is strongly protected against piracy - could yield even more profit.

If this console takes off, Micro sells them consoles and happy 3rd parties see good sells of their games and feel their games are properly embraced in the NextBox, then we wouldn't be surprised if even third parties start to favor that machine, somehow.

If this model is successful I wouldn't be surprised if Sony themselves embrace it somehow later on, especially if it means the difference between having more third party support. Sony even stood on the fence a little about used games with the PS4, if I remember correctly from an article I read regarding said issue.

This sucks for people without internet, I know. I am not saying I want this, just pondering about the possible reasons behind Micro screwing gamers without a good internet if they follow this step.

My question is, will Anonymous do something against Micro for this? Sony got hacked for removing the OS installation option (or was it for the movie copyrights thingy?), will Anonymous see this as an anti-consumer move and try something on them? I wonder.

Was there any kind of boost in sales after the subscription was available? 

I'd argue it slowed decrease. Prevented a decrease like Wii. Boy, those sales dropped like a rock.

Peace, I'm out!

Paul Thurrott's "no idea" quote is if the thinks the system will become a useless brick without the internet. 

Kotaku: Like I said, all devs aren't created equally. One might have been told about it, while the other wasn't.

Same goes for VG Leaks. 

Considering the ridiculous amount of knowledge Thurrott has about the subject, I see him as the single more credible source we have. The pastebin post that has it's own thread here is the single least credible one. Literally anyone could have written it and I believe it was even proven to be fake on NeoGAF. It is the only time I have seen a definitive "It was never even considered." Any confusion between the mini and the 720 is nigh impossible as developers probably wouldn't be given a new SDK for "Stingray"...it just wouldn't make sense. Thurrott mentioned the 360 mini a couple weeks ago or so even and the price points. He has been proven to be extremely credible and well connected in the past so even if  sites like Kotaku (which is generally derided for being ridiculous) say "Ummm idk, maybe we were wrong", his sources are more trustworthy.

My statement stands. Hopefully Microsoft clears this all up on the 21st...if they don't something is REALLY up.

this is the only reason I even give this a 10% chance of coming true.  MS could be focusing their market on only the most profitable consumer.  Plan for a more niche market but make some good dough off every person that is a part of it.  Would be interesting.

Interesting!!!!

Stefan ‏@derFeef 24 Apr

@PeeeThree Will there be games shown at #XboxReveal ?


Phil Spencer ‏@PeeeThree 10h

@derFeef #XBoxReveal will definitely include games.


http://i3.minus.com/ibuzytaFmcwcTh.bmp

That is good news considering people like you also said that everyone was leaving Xbox live while the truth was more people joined it... so most people don't really care because they are always online thanks :).