According to several sources Microsoft will cave to the backlash from gamers over the controversial DRM policies they instituted with the XBOX One. Though not yet official, it’s expected that Microsoft will make an announcement later today.
(credit to Beyond Entertainment for the graphic above)
Here are the changes:
• No more always online requirement
• The console no longer has to check in every 24 hours
• All game discs will work on Xbox One as they do on Xbox 360
• An Internet connection is only required when initially setting up the console
• All downloaded games will function the same when online or offline
• No additional restrictions on trading games or loaning discs
• Region locks have been dropped
Folks this is AWESOME news! It shows the power of the people in action. Since revealing the XBOX One, Microsoft has received a ton of criticism over it’s DRM policies. This blogger was one to quickly jump on that criticism too. The DRM policy is AWFUL. Sony was quick to jump on the bandwagon and at E3 just destroyed Microsoft.
If this all is really true and Microsoft does reverse all of this, it’s a powerful statement that we the people can make a giant like Microsoft CHANGE. I really have to wonder WHO thought this all was a good idea? If it was that smug XBOX Pres. well…Microsoft may want to rethink his contract. The bad press they got from the reveal and especially during/after E3 had them not only losing the next gen console war but already LOST.
Maybe with this reversal they can get back on track. Again, if this turns out to be true, I’m back on board with wanting an XBOX One. With two exceptions…DROP THE PRICE. $100 more than PS4? And also, do not require me to have Kinect. Now if this means having two versions of the XBOX One, one with and one without Kinect, then I’m TOTALLY cool with that. I’ll take one without Kinect for $100 less please!
UPDATE It’s official! http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update
-Sal
Source links:
http://www.whathifi.com/news/microsoft-to-back-track-on-xbox-one-games-drm-and-always-online
http://kotaku.com/microsoft-is-removing-xbox-one-drm-514390310
With all the changes that have been made, I’m glad. I will more willingly buy an XBOX ONE EIGHTY (As they now seem to be called..) But the price is still steep. May wait to get one on sale, or something of the sort. Also, with all the changes, is the new console still not reverse compatible with 360 games?
Still can’t play 360 games on it.
I´m soooo glad they did this. Now I can think about getting one… MAYBE. I´m still a little hurt they pulled this on all Xbox supporters.
Agreed. There is speculation that they tried the DRM thing as a pitch thing rather than a reality (even though they were fully prepared to continue with it if it met good review/publicity). That’s a HUGE risk and obviously it backfired if it’s what they were trying to accomplish. Clearly the gaming community wasn’t ready for this for whatever reasons. I’m one of those. More so of the fact that Microsoft wasn’t clear enough to me on what instituting DRM meant for us and why it had to be mandatory.