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Microsoft has issued an official statement apologizing for an executive who said he didn’t understand the controversy around always-on consoles.
Adam Orth, creative director of Microsoft Studios, drew a wave of criticism for his comments suggesting that consumers should just "deal with it".
"Sorry, I don’t get the drama around an “always on” console,” he said.
“Every device now is “always on”. That’s the world we live in. #Dealwithit.”
Microsoft quickly took steps to distance itself from the comments, which were seen by many as insensitive considering the company’s rumored decison to make the next Xbox require an internet connection has proved controversial.
"We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday," said the company in a statement.
"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."
While some see connectivity as a requirement for 21st century devices, others point out that not everyone has access to an internet connection, particularly those in poor or rural areas.
"We are very sorry if this offended anyone," continued Microsoft, "however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."
