Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox One will not have an “always on” internet connection – something that has been an on and off again rumor during the past few months, however it will need to be connected to the internet at least once every 24 hours – this includes single player games; in addition confirming that the games on the Xbox 360 will not work with the Xbox One.
On the “always on” internet connection:
No, it does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet. We’re designing Xbox One to be your all-in-one entertainment system that is connected to the cloud and always ready. We are also designing it so you can play games and watch Blu-ray movies and live TV if you lose your connection.
On the backwards compatibility:
Xbox One hardware is not compatible with Xbox 360 games. We designed Xbox One to play an entirely new generation of games—games that are architected to take full advantage of state-of-the-art processors and the infinite power of the cloud. We care very much about the investment you have made in Xbox 360 and will continue to support it with a pipeline of new games and new apps well into the future.
So, don’t go in and trade that Xbox 360 just yet.