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It has been a rough few weeks for Microsoft and the Xbox One, so let's all take this moment to calm down. Things aren't as bad as Microsoft has led us to believe. For the most part.
The Xbox One has drawn a lot of ire for, among other things, supposedly requiring an always-on Kinect and constant internet connection, and for blocking used games (or having such a Byzantine policy on used games that they might as well just be blocked). Thanks to recent reports on Microsoft's Xbox Wire, we now know that not all of these are true.
The used games/disc sharing issue is still complicated, but not as bad as expected. Because ownership of a game attaches to a user's data in the cloud, those users can access their games on any Xbox One console so long as their account is being used for access. Meanwhile, for the individual console on which the game is first purchased/installed, anyone with access to that console can play it, just as things are now. Then, in what is actually a rather friendly feature, up to ten members of your family with their own Xbox One consoles can access your full game library.
On the slightly more complicated side of that issue is giving a disc-based game to a friend, which requires you and that friend to have been on each others' friends lists for 30 days, and the game can only be given once. The wrinkle for trading in games comes from the fact that game publishers will be given direct control over whether or not they'll allow games to be sold and bought used, which without a doubt means there will be many many games which cannot be sold and bought used.
The Kinect has needed some clarification after a German official called it a "twisted nightmare" for those who value their privacy, and it's fair to say that Microsoft has a good response to those concerns. According to Microsoft, you are in total control over what the Kinect does and doesn't register, and for things like the purportedly Kinect-based main dashboard, the Kinect can still be deactivated and controller navigation is available.
Finally, the internet connection issue still lingers with what many probably won't find an acceptable solution. You need to connect every 24 hours to play games, period. If you don't check in then you can still play DVDs, Blu-rays, and TV, but you will not be able to play games, online or offline.
This announcement was a good move from Microsoft, as letting these issues linger into E3 would have made things even more complicated than they already are. It's not perfect, but it's not as terrible as we thought, and at the very least it's nice to finally have the story straight.
Comments
10 years, 10 months ago
There will be no ability to rent games upon launch, until that is patched in, I won't even be looking at this thing.
10 years, 10 months ago
"It's not perfect, but it's not as terrible as we thought, and at the very least it's nice to finally have the story straight."
Honestly I think it's worse.
10 years, 10 months ago
Let's not throw a bucket on the flames just yet. They've flip flopped on a number of these issues at least a dozen times in the past two weeks. The fact that it took this long to get a straight answer speaks volumes for what their initial intent was.
Microsoft could issue a terms of service update and change any of this shit at a whim post-launch, it's purely a software issue & they're a software company. Any concerns over Kinect are still warranted as well given some of the patents they've filed for that invasive POS(ex. http://tinyurl.com/b9qsaru). Also, we're just at the start of the data mining phenomenon, if you think that Microsoft wont capitalize 2, 3, 4 years down the line on potentially having 30-60 million cameras connected to the internet in peoples homes then you're insane. It's the same with Google Glass, they want as much personal information as possible so they can better target you with ads.
And finally, this is Microsoft after all, lets not forget that their primary competitor isn't Sony with this box anymore. It's Google and Apple.
10 years, 10 months ago
I only play Consoles for games, to hear that I need to be connected online 24/7 to play games offline is complete bs to me.
10 years, 10 months ago
So does this mean that in a decade or so once the Xbox One servers are no longer available, that your game library will become unusable? Because I'm pretty sure I can play my SNES and PS1 (or PS2 and 3 for that matter) without problems and without being held captive to Microsoft deciding it's no longer financially relevant to allow me to play the games I purchased. I was already leaning away from the Xbox but I think this is the final nail in the coffin.
10 years, 10 months ago
Microsoft should have put this release 2-3 weeks ago, a lot of confusion and bad PR could have been avoided.
As a PC gamer with stable Internet connection, I really have no issues with anything. Glad to hear that we'll be able to get every game in 100% digital format through download. Preload and play at the moment of release, ala Steam. No more standing in lines or sold out titles on release day for those who don't care about boxes. I wonder how sharing of games with 10 family members will work, that's sounds interesting. If you have a brother who goes to school in another state and has an Xbox, you'll be able to split the cost with him and play at the same time in different locations. No renting from the start is the only part that sucks a bit. I'm sure it can be easily implemented through digital download that will disable your game X-days after install.
10 years, 10 months ago
"Allows used games" is a bit of a stretch from what I understand. But then again, Microsoft might as well be trying to explain quantum mechanics at this point. I'm not even sure they've got it figured out, yet.
The way I see it, the XONE has lost almost all the advantages of a console, but hasn't gained half of the advantages of a PC.
10 years, 10 months ago
You're trying to make this sound look good news.
10 years, 10 months ago
...Meanwhile at Sony "Here's 2 free to play MMO's"
What are you doing Microsoft, all this says is that all the bad rumors are only a bit true. That's not helping you, are you even trying? If they are going to have this many hoops to jump though just to do what other platforms can do for free and in much more convenient ways then they better have the secret to eternal life exclusive to the Xbox One at E3
10 years, 10 months ago
Ms i gave you the benefit of doubt. But i feel like they have now just jumped in the grave they previously dug themselves are are preparing to be covered over to complete the burial at e3. How did they manage to screw it up so bad. I hope they change their ways but i feel they would have too much money invested in these schemes and partnerships to turn back now
10 years, 10 months ago
There was a very simple way to avoid all this fuss about Kinect. Don't package the thing with the console in the first place. Make it a stand alone peripheral that those who wanted it could buy since you can navigate the xbox one without it. It would also have the benefit of making the xbox one far cheaper on launch.
Rented/used games is a pretty clear indication that it's up to the publishers in the end though I hear there might be a six month launch window before used and rental gets going. (not 100% sure of this) Now Sony need to clear up how they would do it since I can't see them being radically different. PC gamers are used to some of the gifting and restrictions for digital/disk content the consoles are dealing with.
Always on is a check every 24 hours which seems a pretty arbitrary and short time period. Hardly ideal if you ask me but again it's linked to the whole used game aspect.
We should have the grey areas on xbox one cleared up at E3 (there are still some) and Sony will have to spell out how they are tacking things as well.
It doesn't change much for me as I already didn't like the Kinect and the always on aspect while I suspected the used/rental game concerns were more down to what the publishers chose to do in the end.
I'm still favouring Sony but unless I see some amazing games for the launch window on either console I might actually just opt out of both and go for a gaming PC if I can find a decent one that doesn't cost a fortune.
The new xbox one controller looks very impressive (about the one Microsoft hardware thing that hasn't underwhelmed so far) and you will almost certainly be able to use that for the PC.