Xbox's Adam Orth doesn't get 'always on' concerns

Don't want a gaming console that requires a persistent internet connection? "Deal with it," says Microsoft Studio's creative director.

"Always-on" internet connections haven't proved to be too popular when it comes to gaming lately — yes, we're looking at you, Diablo III and SimCity.

But what about a gaming console that needs an internet connection just to play games? Well, according Adam Orth, the creative director of Microsoft Studios, it's no big deal, and people should just deal with it. In fact, he'd like every device to be always on.

Orth has previously worked under David Jaffe as lead designer on games such as the God of War series, a creative director at LucasArts on a number of recent Star Wars titles and also for PopCap as a senior game designer re-platforming games such as Plants vs. Zombies to PC and PS Vita.

In what he later termed a "fun lunch break", Orth took to Twitter to express his shock at people who take umbrage with the idea of an always-on console.

When quizzed by other Twitter users about people with no internet connection, he suggested that they should get one, as it is "awesome". He then likened people who worry about intermittent internet connectivity being an issue as the same as someone not buying a vacuum cleaner because the electricity sometimes goes out.

While Orth later apologised, saying it had being a bit of banter with friends, it did raise awareness that there are more than a few people who are very unhappy with the possibility of an always-on future version of the Xbox. Orth has also now switched his Twitter account settings to private.