14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has elaborated on the Internet connection required by its next-generation Xbox One console, confirming that, while it won't require to be constantly online, it will need to be connected once every 24 hours.
Before the official presentation of the Xbox One, one of the major rumors concerning the console was the fact that it needed a constant Internet connection to even work.
Microsoft confirmed during its press conference that the next-gen console can still do things like play single-player games or allow movie watching even if it's not online.
According to Xbox Executive Phil Harrison, the Xbox One will deliver a wealth of entertainment experiences if it's connected to the Internet.
"There are many devices in your life that require the Internet to function," he told Kotaku.
"Xbox One is no different in that it requires, at some point in the beginning and at various times through its on state, to connect to our cloud and to our Internet. That is to deliver Xbox Live functionality, that is to deliver download content to you, that is to deliver some of the innovations around TV and entertainment that we showed today. But it doesn’t require it to be online all the time."
Harrison then highlighted the different things that can be achieved when the Xbox One isn't connected online.
"For single-player games that don’t require connectivity to Xbox Live, you should be able to play those without interruption should your Internet connection go down. Blu-ray movies and other downloaded entertainment should be accessible when your Internet connection may be interrupted. But the device is fundamentally designed to be expanded and extended by the Internet as many devices are today."
Even if the Xbox One can do the aforementioned things when it isn't connected to the Internet, the next-gen console will still require to be online every 24 hours according to the executive.
Microsoft issued another statement to Polygon, clarifying that Harrison's statement only exemplified a potential scenario.
"While Phil [Harrison] discussed many potential scenarios around games on Xbox One, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail," the company said.
"There have been reports of a specific time period — those were discussions of potential scenarios, but we have not confirmed any details today, nor will we be."
While it's still unclear, it seems that an Internet connection is pretty much required by the Xbox One to function properly.