Some Microsoft douchebag is making them look worse. If you ask me, not denying is the same as confirming. At least we got a good meme out of this:

https://securecdn.disqus.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/467/3651/original.jpg


http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/05/microsoft-creative-director-on-always-online-deal-with-it

Microsoft Creative Director on Always Online: 'Deal With It'

Microsoft Studios' creative director has spoken out on Twitter about negative reactions to always-online.

by Keza MacDonald APRIL 5, 2013

Update: Xbox Live's Major Nelson has posted the following official Microsoft statement regarding Orth's comments:

"We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach we take to our products or how we would communicate directly with our loyal consumers. We are very sorry if this offended anyone, however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."

In the wake of new purported details about the next Xbox's always-online requirement, Microsoft Studios' creative director has spoken out on Twitter about negative reactions to the prospect.

Adam Orth's tweets are now protected, but a poster on NeoGAF saved them for posterity:

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2013/04/jF1Mjq5MZmVHd.png

Orth also got into a minor spat with BioWare employee Manheer Heir. "Sorry, I don't get the drama around having an 'always-on' console," he said. "Every device is now 'always-on'. #dealwithit"

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2013/04/dealwithit.jpg

Orth has been with Microsoft for just over a year, working on an unannounced project (which can be safely assumed to be a Nextbox title). Previously he has been Creative Lead/Creative Director at LucasArts and a Senior Designer at PopCap.

Naturally this is Orth's personal opinion and shouldn't be taken as proof that the next Xbox definitely has an always-online requirement, but the evidence is mounting. IGN's Xbox 720 wiki has everything that's currently known about the next Microsoft console.