There's blood in the water and, just like sharks, NeoGaffers and gamers are swarming the comments of Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth, who recently told people to "deal with it" — referring to the next Xbox's always-online requirement. It didn't take long for Orth's comments — which are now hidden behind Twitter's privacy protection — to go viral, and the response from gamers is exactly what you'd expect — not too happy about it. So what exactly did Orth say to piss off so many gamers?
"Sorry, I don't get the drama around having an 'always on' console. Every device now is 'always on'. That's the world we live in. #dealwithit," he said on Twitter. It didn't take long for others to jump in on the conversation, the most notable being BioWare's Manveer Heir who pointed out the failed always-on requirements of SimCity and Diablo 3. Naturally, Orth, on the defensive, responded with childish comparisons that lack formidable substance.
"Electricity goes out too," he tried to argue. "I will not purchase a vacuum cleaner," Orth tried to argue.
"The mobile reception in the area I live in is spotty and unreliable. I will not buy a mobile phone."
But perhaps Orth's most derisive comment comes when asked about those in America living in areas with not-so-stable broadband connection, like those living in Janesville, WI or Blacksburg, VA. For those people, Orth had this to say:
"Why on Earth would I live there?"
Naturally, Orth and Heir tried to downplay their back-and-forth, with Heir saying: "A dear friend of mine [Adam Orth] is getting a lot of flak, some unfairly. Let me say he's one of the good guys and cut him some slack please." Unfortunately for Orth, his words seem to represent the logic — or lack of — from the suits running the console show at Microsoft. It seems many of the mainstream publishers believe they can shove their ideals and demands down the throat of consumers who will just sit back and take it. But as publishers are slowly learning through failed attempt after failed attempt, consumers aren't just willing to "deal with it" anymore.
Keep in mind, Microsoft still has not yet announced their new console, so we aren't completely certain it will require you to be online at all times. However, the longer the company waits to unveil, the more likely these types of debates and arguments will occur.
[NeoGAF]
