Microsoft Backtracks on Xbox One DRM Policies

293
Lee Bradley

Microsoft has backpedalled on its controversial Xbox One DRM policies.

In an unprecedented reversal, the platform holder has ditched the console's need to check-in online every 24 hours. Indeed, you will only have to connect to the internet once, and that's when you set the system up.

Furthermore, the renting and sharing of disc-based games will continue as it does with Xbox 360, region locks have been lifted, and the family sharing plan has been binned. That last one was actually a good idea, but it's a small price to pay.

"An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games," reads the statement from Microsoft's President of Interactive Entertainment Business, Don Mattrick. "After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. 

"There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360."

"Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today. There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360."

Amazing, huh? You can read the full announcement below.

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future. 

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One. 

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games– After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions. 

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray. 

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.

Comments
293
  • OH MY GOD!
  • I think the updated link on the Xbox Wire page is crashing from traffic.
  • You see this is exactly what people wanted and a smart decision by the company, but people are going to still find a way to bitch about it...
  • Sold!!! Yaaaaay!! Xbox one. Xbox one. Xbox one.
  • Let's see how quickly the Amazon preorders get snapped up now.
  • Well played Microsoft.......now please just consider getting rid of the Kinect as well
  • yeh that link is crashing hard! it still amazes me how fast news travels on the internet, it's been literally like 4 minutes!!
  • XBOX ONE..EIGHTY?!
  • Meh, was nothing wrong with old policies.
  • AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
  • What are their confirmed changed policies? The site is down. Somebody!? Anybody!?
  • If this is true then I will be ordering one!
  • Did I die and go to heaven? If this is true (Can't confirm if site is down), I will start saving up but be a while.lol
  • Oh, so "nobody cares about the Xbox One" and "nobody is getting it", yet mere minutes after this news breaks the page hosting it goes down from traffic? Lol. OT: nice one MS
  • OMG IT'S CHRISTMAS!!
  • Now if only they can keep Xbox Live to $5 a month and not $15-$20, I will be getting an xbox1.
  • Really? They just go "Nah, nevermind." and everyone loves them again? Anybody remember that time they couldn't think for themselves and had to rely on the community to clean up the mess that their inept minds thought up? No?... Hmm...
  • They should've stuck to their guns, now they seem weak
  • Eh now I can get both PS4 and Xbox one
  • This will make the console war much more interesting now, which hopefully, will result in some cracking games being developed for both machines.
  • Hopefully this is true. I would LOVE to stay with Xbox, but with the information we had before, PS4 just looked infinitely better.
  • My buddy just told me about this and i was driving to game stop to switch preorders he told me just in time! who's Fucking excited THIS GUY!
  • Drama is over!! Cannot wait to play Xbox One and PS4 over christmas. Christmas 2013 must be biggest wild ever with Wii U games around. So load of this. I know I will play GTA V sometime around Christmas for Free Mode like GTA IV to play with friends. Rumours will be alway around our side when it is true or fake news and projects etc... :P
  • HOLY COW! Get rid of the Kinect and you the perfect system that your fans will want to buy. I am wondering how long this will appear on IGN site.
  • @#6 There is a good reason for the Kinect to be mandatory. At the Xbox 360 developers could implement Kinect features but they had a small market (and no, it's not Always waving your hands but also voice commands). That means developers spend money on nice/fun features that nobody uses, unless the few hardcore gamers with Kinect. Now developers can use the features and everyone can use them (if they want). Disabling Kinect is possible though.
  • Buckling under pressure will tarnish their brand image worse than former policies. Just look at Blizzard, they bend to every bitch and moan of their community and their subscriber base is just a hollow shell of its former glory.
  • wow....#9 obviously something wrong with you then. Nice choice in time to respond to the community m$. next drop kinect, and all these stupid apps and lets get the basics right and make a gaming console that can PLAY games, not make my TV into another version of the cable box.
  • @25 now they just need to get rid of the kinect always being connected
  • #29 Yeah but they dont have removed it as long as it is have option for you put on and off. If Xbox One do have it or maybe Microsoft will bring first console update dashboard patch to fix and bring option for on and off. :)
  • Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!
  • Of course I don't like Kinect and will never do anything with it. But it doesn't have remove just have option on and off. Make sense for Microsoft do it for Kinect fans and non fans. :)
  • Best news of the day!
  • still waiting for a price drop before buying this console
  • http://www.gamesta.com/ms-to-flip-flop-and-remove-drminternet-requirements/
  • That always online bullshit and always kinect'ed crap is really unnecessary... yes for games that require kinect and and online connection fair enough but not to the extent that they seem to think. If they change those, i think alot of people will be praising microsoft. I honestly don't care about used game policies because I buy all my games new anyway.
  • @anyone who moaned about others bitching...YOU'RE WELCOME!! =D
  • Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the Xbone still have to share processing between Game OS and TV OS? Hope not because if I did decide to buy it, I would never use the TV controlling function...
  • GAMING HISTORY IN THE MAKING!!
  • Nothing like 'sticking to your guns' huh microsoft?
  • Microsoft post: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update
  • So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means: An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360. Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
  • Good news, though I'm still waiting for a price drop. But here's a great idea, ship out two different bundles. Those that want Kinect can buy that bundle, and the other 99.5% of consumers will by the other. I'll also wager that 50% of the 0.5% who buy the bundle with Kinect will return it once stock of the other bundle becomes available. Regardless Kinect isn't going to make me scream and shout, christ just turn it off. I think they even said you can make it dormant and all it will recognize is you telling it turn on the console. But I'm still spry enough to use a button to do that too.
  • Net Title = Xbox 180 confirmed
  • Update on June 19, 2013: As a result of feedback from the Xbox community, we have changed certain policies for Xbox One reflected in this blog. Some of this information is no longer accurate — please check here for the latest. Q: Does Xbox One require an “always on” Internet connection? A: 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. Q: How do consumers benefit by being connected to the cloud? A: The cloud makes every experience better and more accessible. Because Xbox One is powered by the cloud: Your games have more power available to create new gameplay, persistent worlds, and deeper experiences. Your system and games can update automatically, so you shouldn’t have to wait for downloads or updates. Your games and entertainment are stored and saved in the cloud, so you can access them anytime, from any Xbox One.* Start a game, movie, or TV show on one console and finish exactly where you left off on another. You can play multiplayer games with your friends, stream movies or TV shows right away, and enjoy the community and social features of Xbox Live. Xbox One can recognize you, log you in and tailor your home screen just for you. You can discover what your friends are playing, watching and listening to if they choose to share. These are just a few examples of how customers benefit from our platform being connected to the Internet. It brings the future of TV and games to our consumers—and it’s designed for today and the decade ahead. * Subject to content geographical restrictions. Q: When will Xbox One launch and in what markets? A: Xbox One will launch in markets around the world later this year. We’ll have more to share later. Q: Can I use my current gamertag on Xbox One and will my Gamerscore and Achievements transfer? A: Yes. Your current Xbox Live Gamertag will stay with you on Xbox One if you choose to keep it, and your hard-earned Gamerscore and Achievements will indeed carry over from Xbox 360. Q: Will Xbox One be backward compatible with my existing games? A: 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. Q: Will Xbox One allow players to trade in, purchase and play pre-owned games? A: We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to share later. Q: Will my current Xbox Live Gold membership work with Xbox One or will I have to buy a new one? A: You do not need to buy a new Xbox Live Gold membership. Your current membership will work on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Q: Why require Kinect with every Xbox One? A: The all new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform. By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you. Q: Do I need to have a specific cable or satellite TV provider to watch live TV on Xbox? A: Our goal is to enable live TV through Xbox One in every way that it is delivered throughout the world, whether that’s television service providers, over the air or over the Internet, or HDMI-in via a set top box (as is the case with many providers in the US). The delivery of TV is complex and we are working through the many technologies and policies around the world to make live TV available where Xbox One is available. Q: Xbox One is a more powerful product compared to Xbox 360, but does it also use more power? A: By providing multiple power states in Xbox One, we’ve balanced energy efficiency with functionality. We’ve taken a completely different approach to how Xbox One consumes power. It only uses the power it needs at that particular moment for the task at hand.
  • Ohhhhh look at all the I'm buying a ps4 people saying there going to buy an xbox one now.i hope this doesn't mess up any features like the forza 5 feature where it learns what you do and race when your not even playing.if so I'm going to be super pissed.
  • @25 I'm sure by 'fans' you mean 'investors and competition'
  • Microsoft made a very smart choice. I forgive them for making all those ridiculous and anti-consumer policies in the first place but I won't forget.....
  • @47, click on the green text that takes you to the new policies :P On note: HUUUUUUUUUU-FUCKING-ZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH BITCHES!
  • So basically we are not seeing the pre orders that we wanted to see and could end up losing a SHIT LOAD OF MONEY
  • "SOME" of its DRM SOME is not ALL like Sony. I also want the ability to opt out of any and all data collections practices and have that data destropyed by default. I also want a console that does not use the kinect. I don't want it, and will never use it.
  • Look's like it's back to hate mail.
  • Now get rid of Kinect and offer an affordable launch bundle!
  • Not many companies of this size, under this degree of scrutiny, would admit a mistake by backtracking. Takes balls. Kudos. Got a place in my gaming wall unit waiting for the Xbox One.
  • @42 Thanks a lot, that settles the record straight. Realistically, this brings the xbox one one step in the right direction, but the war ain't over yet.
  • Now MS has won E3 a week late ^_^
  • Wait it says update part on the blog, thing's keep changing between 360.org and xbox.com God this is confusing.
  • I was looking forward to installing my games and not requiring the disc again when switching between them.
  • Whayyyy!!!
  • Okay, now everybody can SHUT THE FUCK UP and get an Xbox One.
  • Now remove Kinect, so you can make the console 399 euro and they have a chance. Remoooove Kinect. Make Kinect an option, not a requirement! Pretty please, this is the only thing they need to add.
  • I wish they would can the 0G challenge achievements, but this is fine too!
  • I was able to load it up after like 20 attempts. IT'S ALL TRUE!!!
  • Still $100 more than PS4 and Xbox Live will still not be worth it. Even so I might get one later on after a price drop.
  • SOMEONE PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION! Will they still have the Family Share Plan? I REALLY liked that concept. Sharing with 10 friends.
  • Finally they listen! Goes to show our opinion is valued when they think their wallets will be hit badly. Good on them for listening.
  • Now the only thing MS needs to get rid of is their console absolute need for kinect... if they'd drop the damn device, the console would cost the same price PS4 does or maybe even less.
  • Hopefully Abes odyssey will be on the Xbox one
  • Does this mean family sharing is gone?
  • @45 I want to know where you got these numbers.
  • well done MS shouldn never have thought of that crap in the first place but at least back peddleings something
  • Wow there's still people complaining.what else do you people want???you want it to suck your man bits too.jeez gamers be happy for once.
  • Huge news. Piss off Sony.
  • How many PS4 pre-orders have just been cancelled after this news? ;)
  • I'm going to preorder xbox one at best buy this week.
  • @68 no. "The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray."
  • I start thinking about buying a Xbox1 when they cancel their used games policy!
  • look im glad M$ saw sense but the damage is done, they wanted this in the first place and tried dictating these decisions to us and gave the ultimatum of don't like it get a 360! they have shown their colours, i'm not happy for M$ im happy for the gamers, in fact i feel proud that we all stood and shouted together and we made them listen, for the people buying an xbox one, enjoy it im very glad you dont have this shitty cloud hanging over you i.e drm and used games but i cant support M$ this time round. lets hope the next gen can now give us gamers something magic regardless of the consoles and now without restriction :)peace out
  • god damn it, I was far more interested in the family plan then I was in getting 10% of what I paid back from gamestop
  • Now please support indie devs so that they can self publish on the Xbox one.
  • For those in the States: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.819339-We-Are-Watching-You-Legislation-Could-Affect-Xbox-One Might have to make it a Optional part of the system if this passes :)
  • jesus now people are complaining about the kinect?
  • So games are not required to be installed now either? That wasn't specified in the notes.
  • I believed in them from the day I got my Xbox/360. And all you assholes that were actually going to switch to the terrible Sony do not deserve this console. You are all a disgrace and it sucks how you can all change from how awsome you all truely know Microsoft are.
  • NOW, LET'S COMPLAIN ABOUT XBOX LIVE GOLD ON PS4!
  • @17, Amen to that!
  • @59 That's a very naive thought my friend. No one ever wins E3, you just survive the damn thing.
  • "Policies subject to change." Now we see even more how fickle they are.
  • @88 That issue's already been settled...
  • Wonder if EA will bring back their online pass system?
  • Holy shit, I may get to play Forza 5 after all, I'm still buying a ps4 as my primary console, but this means I will buy an xbox one eventually when there are enough good exclusives and price drops to justify it.
  • I'm back onboard with the xboxone then, see people bitch about people bitchin, but the people bitchin worked and now every one is happy, so stop bitching either way bitch!!!
  • Good. Now make it region free!
  • Gamers, I would just like to say, We won a great battle against Microsoft today. Well done!
  • Is it just me, or has the stuff that truly matters to gamers not been addressed yet? > Backwards compatibility > Region Locking Those need to be addressed too.
  • WOW now what's PS4 going to do?!
  • AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!
  • as much as I hated many of their choices I am beyond pissed at the removal of the family sharing, you people realize that now instead of potentially saving hundreds on games via friend sharing you go back to the current model of being luck if you can get a 3rd of your money back from gamestop, hardly a win to me
  • I stuck to xbox one for what it actually offers (cloud capabilities, family sharing, digital resale,...) Go to PS4 and stay there, sheep.
  • Right now finally Microsoft has listened, I was going to be stuck in limbo, lost but thankfully Microsoft have seen some sense, guess I'm getting Dead Rising 3 and Halo 5 afterall.
  • ...Except that microsoft has now had to dicth one of their best scenarios! I was looking forward to not having to change discs and not having to take my discs with me to my friends house. Damn
  • @93 that tomorrows news EA: "After listening to fan feedback we are bring back online passes to all are Xbox one games as fans miss them"
  • @ #96 & 98 - "Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions." a.k.a. Region Free console.
  • @73 They are my speculative figures buddy, grab a sense of humour.
  • Still waiting if they well sell a bundle without a kinect, it's useless to me.
  • @102 They might not have digital resale or family sharing anymore. I was looking forward to playing my games without needing the disc, but this changes that now.
  • Microsoft just saved the gaming console area of their company.
  • Now all Microsoft need to do is focus more on the games than the (mainly) only useful in North America telly apps. @86 I would imagine they'll still be installed for performance reasons, just running with a disc check like an installed 360 game. There still needs to be a model with more than a 500Gb drive though (and a model without a Kinect, I'm not going to fart about talking to my video games, let alone dancing for them).
  • Faith restored. Welcome back Microsoft. Glad they actually paid attention to what people are saying :)
  • cool, now they just have to ditch the mandatory use of kinect and im definatley going to get the xbox one. its the fording kinect onto us that is stopping me from getting one now.
  • Shit just got real.
  • well played. Coca-Cola Classic comes to mind....
  • #109: I know, now we're still stuck in 2002 with a disc-based system for the next ten years, because the neanderthalers on here don't see evolution when it smacks them in their face.
  • Terms and Conditions subject to change ... I'm sure we haven't heard the last of it and all this will slowly creep back in. I wonder what Darth Vader over at EA thinks
  • Holy moley.! MS just admitted they were wrong! Lol. That's awesome!
  • See all that complaining/bitching whatever you want to call it actually works imagine if everyone gave up and remained silent next gen would have been in a sad state. Still going to get a PS4 but glad to see this happen.
  • excellent now lower it by £100 to the same price as the ps4 and there onto a winner :D
  • All of you people who jumped ship for PS4 are now coming back, Hahahahah I was fine where it was going! BUT cannot believe how they listen THIS TIME! Congrats all the people who told them off and how they reacted and didnt jump ship! XBOX ONE WILL BE BETTER THEN PS4 In the NEXT GEN CONSOLE WAR! CONGRATS!
  • @27 Blizzard has been losing paid subscribers because free-to-play with micro transactions is a better business decision for most people that want to play an MMO. Blizzard is slowly learning this lesson.
  • @98 Backwards Compatibility is not a requirement. It's something MS/Nintendo/Sony did this gen to see if it was worth it. Turns out it wasn't because all three companies got rid of it with the 2nd version of consoles (V2 PS3, X360 Slim/V2 Wii) Systems before that didn't have Backwards compatibility and they don't need it now. I'm already paying $500 now for an X1 and $400 later for a PS4, I don't want an extra $100 tacked on for B/C.
  • #109 & #116 Losing the discs after initial installation was probably my favourite part of the Xbox One.
  • Here come the Xbox-to-PlayStation fanboys now. It would be pure perfection if we didn't have to have the Kinect now.
  • @98 Xbox one is region free, Backwards compatibility very easily solved,keep your 360 its not going to explode the day new console comes out.New console=new games. Nobody is going to stop you playing your 360
  • this sounds off to me, yes i am happy with the change, but i think this was intentional, they wanted some sort of controversy (like EA did with the angry religious protestors when they shown Dante's Inferno a few years ago), M$ might have not had any of these intentions to begin with, they just went with the change to make them look like they are consumer friendly by saying "we listen to and care for our consumers" But that is just my theory, whether i am right or wrong, it is still good news, even though i was planning on getting the X1 anyway lol
  • I like how Larry H. told Angry Joe how it wouldn't be easy to undo this... 4 days later though.
  • Is... Is this relay true ? OMG ... just WOW
  • @128 haha Yeah, I c
  • gayy
  • @128 haha Yeah, I can remember how he got a bit upset and asked AngryJoe if he's a project designer when Joe said the internet and drm policies are easily undone
  • @71 New n Tasty won't be on the X1 at the moment because MS don't let people self-publish. Which is what Oddworld want to do. So that's PS4 and possibly PC only at the moment.
  • Time to cancel my ps4 preorder. Im sure if this news holds true I won't be the only one ready to come back.
  • Big thanks to the internet for being their usual whining baby self, now this console is missing some features I was looking forward to. The hivemind grows with every new hate bandwagon.
  • You gotta respect MS in this moment. Some call what they are doing weak by giving in.....to me it's the smartest and most humble move. they fucked up but It shows they put consumer interests 1st.....that and shit loads of money. I really was dumbfounded by MS E3 announcement and yes PS4 did win the day but Xbox has the better stable of Exclusive games and i'm much more psyched for Halo 5 that shit like the Order 1886. the 360 and Gears of War stole my decision on PS3 launch day and i haven't looked back. Now like most.....i'm off to pre-order before this shit Sells out.
  • Was sold on getting an XB1 anyway, this kinda shows that MS have no balls really but ah well all is good :)
  • round of applause! for finally taking to their senses!
  • @14 Really?, can't you see that it's precisely because NOBODY cared (meaning tens/hundreds of thousands if not millions of gamers) and they were starting to lose this "war" against Sony that they pulled all of that DRM stuff? There wasn't need for all of this drama in the first place. If they are able to do this just a few months before launch, why didn't they did it from the begining? I don't even remember an XBox Live Rewards survey asking "do you mind having to log in once a day to XBox live in order to play offline games?", or "do you feel bad about not being able to lend a game to a friend?" that would have been a better approach to this for they to realize most users do not share their vision I don't know about any of you of course, but I meant it when I said that I was moving to PS4 unless they came with something BIG, and what is bigger than taking back all of this wrong policies. I may remain an XBox fan after all and I'm not ashamed to say it, but I'm glad MS changed it's mind
  • Well, Microsoft screwed up Windows 8 and backtracked They screwed up the Xbox One and backtracked Have some backbone! Still lost my respect. Too little, too late.
  • See I was going to get an Xbox One anyway, but this has me sold even more. Even though they messed it up at first, they fixed it and have done right by the people.
  • Awesome! Looks like I'll be picking one up as soon as I can afford it! United we stand, Divided they fall! Everything worked out in our favor, I still have a bad taste in my mouth though. I do admit i'm Sticking with a PS4 first because I like their launch lineup much better than Xbone's, but at least now I can hopefully get one without a worry!
  • Damn this is good news but to bad it came with a price of needing the disk in the tray at all times,that was a cool feature not needing the disk.
  • Yes!!! This is awesome, I really wanted to play Dead Rising 3 and Forza 5, but the DRM policies put me off, glad to see it all worked out. :D
  • omg i am actually shocked i cant believe it
  • Good call, MS.
  • Good news but I still will not buy one as long as Kinect is forced on me. I also could'nt care less about Live TV control, skype, netflix, a web browser, or any other apps. An Ipad and Roku work great for that crap. All I want is a contorller in my hands and a machine to play games on.
  • Good that they listened, the console might just be saved after all. :-))
  • Hopefully they aren't doing this to drum up sales, then reinstate the requirements later on.
  • this is the best news ever, it just proves with enough people a change can happen and it makes me glad to know they actually took into account what people have been saying. My future is looking green again :D
  • stil the biggest fail they ever did and now they show how weak they are by giving in.ms you make me sick you money hungry bitches
  • @140 Your getting Xbox one ain't ya..Go on admit it.
  • @116 & 124 - I agree with you both, I was really looking forward to being able to change games at will without swapping discs, I was more than happy with how things were with the Xbox One to start with! Oh well! :(
  • Fair play Microsoft. However, PS4 is still going to be £80 cheaper, PS+ is cheaper and I still don't want a Kinect. Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing but I still think I'll be getting the PS4 if I can only afford to get one of the two consoles.
  • This must be because of how sales may have been affected if they hadn't done this, especially with the price, but I don't mind it.
  • Hahahahaha micro$oft says we don't care if you hate the Xbox one we have something for you its a Xbox 360 they were such ducks now they come back with there tails between there legs
  • HAHAHAHAHAHA... Right on.. 4 days later Major Fucktard.. M$ changed it.. do not fucking lie in an interview ever again...!!! You see all you M$ sheep... you see NOW how bad it was and how badly M$ was backpedaling/... to the point that they reversed practically ALL their shitty policies.. now you got a decent system.. NOW.. not before tho... Bassfiend.. nah you think this was all some big PR stunt? to come off as the good guys? they locked forums on this shit.. it was bad... trust me.. they did not expect this kind of backlash.. A good company lets the customers determine the future... Consumers dictate trends in products, not companies... how dare they try to dictate to us, the consumers how/when/where/why/how much we can play our single player offline games... The statement says they listened to us.. I say TOO FUCKING LATE... they lost my $500 and they lost my online fees.. fuck em still.. backpedaling mfers... this shouldn't make ppl happy.. it pisses me off more.. but they burned this bridge already.. im not hugging and making friends.. fuck em
  • thanx alot crybaby bitches now we have too have two copies of games to play online together people. great job fucking that up for us. take your bitch asses to ps4 and stop bitching causing us people that loved what we were getting to get changed. why do this. it was great the way it was
  • Ah well, still gonna download my games, hate discs. I hope downloads go straight onto the cloud though still, otherwise that HDD won't last more than a few months
  • @157 Cool story
  • I'm more willing to consider a 180, in a few years. But I don't trust that they wont just flip the switch again after launch. All the infrastructure is already there. On the good side... we WON. And winning feels good. Between this, EA dropping the online pass, and Operation Rainfall's success, it finally feels like gamers have a voice for once.
  • Given the backlash I cant say im shocked. Kudos for them to realize they are wrong and change it. Though I do think something should be made available like some sort of "tip" function could be implemented in the game profile if you enjoy the game or want to give something back if you buy it used.
  • Still not sold on it. Will stick with my 360 and making an informed decision after launch. Still not convinced that the multimedia side doesn't detract from the game side which is my biggest issue since I wouldn't touch the tv aspect of it.
  • This is amazing news !!! :D
  • Well i pre ordered my ps4 last weekend. Now Ms changed all their bullshit policies. Pre order of the ps4 forced their hands. Kinda relieved didn't wana lose all my Gs and achs for trophies. Still a stupid name for new console though!!
  • 157 has an Xbox one pre-ordered FACT
  • the gamers pray'd while our god responeded
  • Now if they remove Kinect and start selling a $400 alternative package , i'm sold.
  • This is nice and all but Microsoft isn't a good guy because of it. The only reason they did it is because they knew if they didn't that it would effect their profits heavily. They don't respect the feedback of gamers or anyone else. The only thing they respect is money.
  • Not making any choices for at least a year. Don't have money to throw away willy-nilly and such. Plus, still plenty of games on my 360 and other consoles.
  • What about Kinect? I don't want to buy it with my Xbone. Plaese MS, do something about it. That's the only reason why I don't want to buy Xbone under my christmas tree.
  • Aw, shit. Web traffic is about to explode.
  • @169 that's how businesses stay afloat
  • @158 I was about to drop it, but you know what, the one bitching is you! Why don't you propose something constructive like: Give the full Family members of an Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack membership the possibility to play ANY of the games they bought through XBox Live (either Arcade or Games on Demand, even better now that they will be available day one), this way your Family and not just you and a "new best friend who you just meet 30 days ago" can play your games without paying any extra money The way I see it, if you were willing to always log in to Xbox live in order to play ANY game, then should be able to buy your games in the marketplace and this will be a very good NEW feature for people like you that will improve the gaming experience in the XBox One. But if you just wanted the "sharing" to play for free, then you're the one bitching now I don't see how complaining about something you've never had is fine, but "bitching" about losing the way we've played for a decade is wrong
  • Just in time, was about to pre-order the the PS4. Guess I know where my money is going now.
  • This makes me happy but I was otherwise OK with the old policies. I liked how you didn't need to the disks to play games once you installed them but I'm fine with using them again. At least they're BluRay so they will have lots of memory (no more switching disks).
  • Now, if only we can cause enough stink about forcing a purchase of the Kinect, and perhaps we can get the console to retail for the same as the PS4. We've done it once, we can do it again! ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH!
  • Great news!! Now they need to drop the "must have Kinect connected" thing, and maybe lower the price?
  • Interesting that they acknowledged just how fucked up their policies were. Does that mean they were really oblivious to the reaction they'd get? I had a conspiracy theory that they knew they'd get shit for the Xbox One's policies, and eventually banish them like this to win public opinion. It's a silly theory, but it'd make sense. Still, that bridge has been burned for me, and who's to say they won't slowly re-activate their BS? PS4 for me still.
  • Thank you for finally listening to 'we the people who know what we want in a Next-Gen games console'. If only you would've listened to us in the first place, you could have saved yourselves a lot of face. There are still a few issues to sort out between now and 30th November, but it's a start. Well done and keep up the good work! :-)
  • And xbone pre orders sell out everywhere....
  • Does anyone know if the console will work with 360 games?
  • Honestly don't care. This should have been the way the new xbox should have been, it shouldn't have taken a multinational backlash for them to realise what their fans want.
  • Can not believe with this good news people still bitch. Just be happy this has happened. I pre-ordered my Xbox one the day after the reveal in May and never regretted it. Microsoft has made my early pre-order even more justified now. Now all the people i know who said i was crazy are all scrambling to get their pre-orders in. Thank you Microsoft
  • Maybe just maybe my faith has been restored a little bit and that occasionally the corporate giants do listen to feedback. Now please announce the release date and let us get back to concentrating on the real issues at hand like how amazing this will be.
  • I have been a massive fan of xbox since day 1 and a member of xbox live for nearly 8 years in my opinion 360 is the greatest console ever made and I have often defended the cost of live in arguments. I was looking forward to the next gen till I saw Microsofts attitude towards its fan base with its next console and saw little choice other than to get a ps4 until today. Anyone still bitching about kinect (which I myself feel is a waste of time) after this should stfu. I have no interest in kinect either but it is something you can just choose not to use. All these other features they have just reversed affected everyones day to day gaming.
  • There you go bunch of babies!...
  • @187 lol
  • dklsajghfdklsjhfadklsjhfkljadhsfadkljshfadkljshfadklsjfhasdeklrjhwaeklsfjghadsk,lhjgb
  • This is how competition and a lot of directed griping and complaining can change matters for the better. While I still will probably not get the One at launch, I will definitely consider it now.
  • Wow, did not expect this at all. At least not this early down the line. Shame about the family share feature, but as the article states it's a small price to pay. I'm also very surprised about the region lock, I mean despite the way it sounds, it makes no difference e.g. 360 is region locked but it's up to devs/publishers whether they make a game region free. Funny that as PS3 is region free yet just like 360 it's down to the devs/publishers whether they region lock a game. Not that most people will realise/care about that as it's about the way it sounds after all...
  • My problem with Microsoft lies in a problem with the way they handled all of this from a business stand point. There was rage about these policies before E3 and a good company would have addressed these issues during this time to show the fans that they listen. Instead, they let Sony absolutely dominate them from a PR stand point. Bad decision. Then after E3, another statement was made that Microsoft's offline console would remain the 360 if you did not have access to the internet. It was a statement made to show they were sticking with their plan. This statement was, in a way, completely arrogant and for a person on the fence for which console to buy, like myself, was actually kind of offensive. Now, after all of this AWFUL PR, they are now back tracking on all of their statements and switching to what they have now. Unfortunately for them, the damage is already done. Just the way I see it from a business/PR side.
  • So wait? Because everyone bitched about going online once a day (which most xbox owners do anyway) they have ditched it and the plan to be able to freely share your games with up to 10 friends and family? That is terrible news and I can't believe people are happy about it.
  • ok im back on board! now who do i throw my money at?
  • @160 Thank you, and I got another cool story for you Bro. A few days ago, i told the story of how I went into Gamestop to buy a used game for $20, because, you know, I like to do that. Get games on the cheap. Anyways, while I was there, the store clerk got a call asking about PS4 and XBone and the customer wanted to come down to the store to to reserve one. The store clerk stood their, as I listened in, informing the customer about all these shitty policies with the xbone. Don't get me wrong, he had to be as unbaised about it as possible, but it was easy to see how the store clerk leaned on the issue as I just listened in and smiled knowing the facts with the system. The clerk was the same as any SMART customer (i.e, he wasn't a dumb sheep). After the call I asked the clerk he take on the issues, and then asked him about preorders. Actually he said he wasn't allowed to say. but he went on to tell me how many of each system was preordered, and how many more were being shipped to the store... PS4 would of doubled the XBone preorders at that rate... Then I told him my stance on the issue, and he just smiled as well. Now sales will go up... no doubt in that... that customer on the phone originally asked for a PS4, then asked about XBOne, and if the clerk is unbaised as he seemed to be, he'll inform the customer on the new policies with the xbone when he comes in to preorder. Yup... if we speak up loud enough, the customer does get heard, surprisingly so it seems at times. Now if they release a SKU without the Kinect I might, might... be interested... Sorry for the customers who wanted all digital/no discs.. but dudes bluray games can be huge... your hdd will fill up fast, and no doubt M$ will charge you more for a new hdd down the road... Probably more then what it will cost me to replace my hdd in my reserved PS4. ;) @166.
  • SUPER SWEET odds of buying an xbox one just went from in the region of 0% to 70% A clear victory for the consumer and not just todays consumers...for all those who voiced dissatisfaction we have changed history and defended a basic right that once you've bought something you have primary say in what you do with it. People power! :D
  • I think this is good and bad news. We gain the flexibility we have today, but we give up a whole lot of amazing features we would have had (shared game library, install discs and forget them for games you want to keep, etc). I wish we could still have the online game library if we maintained a 'net connection, but have to use the disc and maintain the normal operations if offline. Oh well. Either way, the XB1 is far superior to the PS4, so I'm looking forward to it. Already had my pre-order in. As is often the case, Microsoft tried to push the envelope with new technology and possibilities, but most consumers just weren't ready for it yet. Of course, cloud-enhanced games (which are going to kick into high gear on the XB1 at some point) will still require a 'net connection. And that's where Microsoft's really going to own Sony.
  • Get rid of the kinect and make it same price as ps4 then we'll talk microsoft
  • @195 honestly by the sounds of it that store clerk sounds like a Sony fanboy and will probably carry on telling people about the DRM issues as if they still exist.
  • rumours surface about an always-on drm, a forced kinect, used game fees and some others ...everyone rages and clearly expresses collective disgust ...few months later they reveal it is all true ...everyone rages ...1 focking week later - they backtrack completely - then thank us all for our very important feedback. to summarise; they knew damn well we didnt want that shit months ago, but they thought they could get away with it. they realised they wouldnt get away with it - and its dropped, as easily and as quickly as that. pathetic.
  • @184.. don't thank M$... they only did it because of the outrage with their policies.. Thank the hundreds of thousands of customers like me who spoke out on the bs. Without our outrage, you'd still have drm...
  • Wow good job MS, you were doomed. although damn confused now, Ms screwed us inthe fitst place but now they are saying sorry but they have lost my trust. Still not sure what should it be
  • This is a step on the right direction! Now if they add backwards compatibility I am sold! At this point what separates the systems is policies and price range. The latter which is negligible if you will be using either console for the majority of the decade.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOmOljJncGw
  • Really nothing more to say about this than: "It shows a lack of vision, planning and leadership to reveal the policy, double-down on it, say how great it is, then change it. That's all." — Colin Moriarty (@notaxation) June 19, 2013
  • No more Region Locking????? You mean i'm finally going to be able to play Baseball Games in Australia?? YESSSSS!
  • And...I'm officially sold.
  • Woohoo!
  • @203 Backwards compatibility will never be added because the hardware is too different and I don't know how adding it will change your mind because PS4 doesn't have it either. People seem to be shitting much more on Microsoft for the XB1 not being BC, and not at allay the PS4.
  • This is amazing news! I was happy with the way things were going before but this will please alot of others for sure. I love rooting for Microsoft, you never know what will happen with the crazy shit they do.
  • At least they admit they did it wrong sort of, if u read some of the quotes they are like we still think those previous policies are the way to go, but since gamers and our future profits dont look good I guess we will change it. I think I am still getting a PS4 b/c I dont have as many games invested as I do the 360, so buying a Xbox One now is not worth the money for me right now. I think it is best to wait a year or so and see how the Xbox One is doing and if they keep to their new policies.
  • @61. me too. maybe with the cloud storage thing that could still be an option.
  • @193 i feel the same the 2 best features are gone the game sharing was going to save me and my friends hundreds of £ now i have to swap the disc in the tray to play. im always online anyway its 2013 ffs.
  • @208 I know it will probably never be added. I just feel that a system that is vastly superior to their predecessors should be able to at least emulate older games. I see it as a brand new top to the line PC not being able to run a game that came out almost a decade ago. I know its completely different architecture but if people out there can emulate the PS3 and Xbox 360 on the PC( mind you not great but good enough) imagine what the microsoft and sony engineers could do. They know the code of the system they know it better than anyone. It will never happen but damn it I am hopeful
  • Holy crap, that is awesome news! Very smart move by MS.... NOW, the Xbox One is actually a gaming console I will spend my money on. FINALLY looking forward to it!! To go along with what someone else said, yes people are going to still bitch..... like me, I hope the Kinect goes as well.
  • All they need to do now is give us a console package without Kinect and then I'll be really happy.
  • PS4 cannot have BC with PS3... x86 to cell proc... now M$ can do it. x86 to x86.... its all about charging us for all of them again.... thats the story with backwards compat, and why not as many ppl bitch about it not being on Sony as compared to M$... Emulating the emotion engine for ps2 on ps3 costed us 100 more bucks... imagine emulating the cell proc... Its much easier emulation for all 3 xboxes...all pc sytyle programming.. their just lazy and greedy... dont get it twisted. Sony not doing because they can't.. M$ not doing it cuz they won't..... big difference...
  • Microsoft is waiting until all the fanboys change their mind, cancel their PS4 preorders & get the One. Unpon release, they will announce that they have changed their mind again & will implement the previous deleted features. LOL
  • Now if they just remove that NSA spycam and voice recorder I might actually consider it.
  • I love you, M$!!! Thank you for listening to the fans!!!
  • Since they are listening to fans we should demand a $100 price drop and a package without Kinect !!!
  • now don't make me have to buy it with Kinect as im sold!
  • I hate all the bitches on here crying about kinect. If you don't like it don't use it. Some of us like a mix of things on our system. Xbox one and ps4 are both great gaming systems. But with Xbox one you have kinect and all the smart tv features. It's a no brainer. Too many on here just can't embrace change.
  • If I don't like Kinect why should I be forced to buy a console with it ? I am pretty sure they could release a version that doesn't require it. I also think a version without Kinect wouldn't be so expensive.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up4LTKxe0PA
  • The damage was done, Microsoft will just have to live with that and its a perfect example that companies can't treat the consumer like tools. I mean seriously you don't kick someone in the dick and expect a "sorry bro" to make it all better, people will still favor the ps4.
  • Well thx a lot guys. I was looking forward to trading games over live with friends & not having to have the disc in my tray. The family plan thing sounded good........
  • Best news I've heard all day, although my choice of which console to get has now become far more difficult. As happy as I am that Microsoft have made these changes it's hard to deny that loyal Microsoft customers have lost a lot of faith in both the Xbox One and Microsoft as a company and although these changes are a big step in the right direction (both for the company and the console) I can't help but feel that Microsoft should have responded to their consumers needs by never implementing the DRM policies in the first place.
  • @222 Release a SKU without the Kinect for $100 cheaper... You can't just say, "if you don't like it don't use it and quit crying" It's raising the cost of the entire console, by at least $100 maybe $150. I'm tired of uneducated consumers bitching at us bitchers... we have complete rights to bitch ALL we want.. don't like it, tough shit...
  • YAAHHHHHHH!! I just cancelled my ps4 preorder! Back to XBOX!!!!!
  • With the crazy amount of people unliking xbox's page and full on attacking there joke of an upgraded system they had to do something... or they'd lose sooo much money....this is the second "change" they've done, the first one was kinda secret (always online, even for singleplayer, secret letter went out to employee's telling them this wasn't happening) From what I've read Microsoft is trying to take consoles in a really REALLY bad direction...and care very little for there real gaming fans... its ALL about money for them now and I won't ever be supporting that. When the CEO says "Consoles aren't about gaming anymore" thats when I say "Nope, xbox isn't about gaming anymore" Enjoy your Overpriced half azzed console...
  • While I have never owned, or intend to own an Xbox, this is good news. I do find all the PR bullshit they are spouting hard to swallow though. They didn't listen to customer feedback, thet had plenty of that before E3 and changed nothing. This is all because of Sonys announcement and loss of marketshare. Either way though, at the end of the day, it's a win for you xbox fans, and as I said earlier, that is good news. Oh, and seriously, and this is not directed soley at Xbots, it also goes for people in the Sony camp, why all the hate? It's bad anough we need to deal with the PC master race without beating each other over the head.
  • I pre-ordered the Xbox One and PS4 last week and have been excited to see where the "Next-Gens" would take us. I have sat back and watched the uninformed repeat things that are misleading. It seems people are more interested in playing it safe then venturing into the unknown. Now we will never know what the Xbox One would have been like or what it could have become, it seems fans only wanted it to be more like the PS4. I will be canceling my PS4 reserve, and this argument of what system is "better" will never be answered.
  • Just look at DLC... we went from GTA lost and the damned (AMAZING DLC) to buying map packs and character skins... stop supporting these greedy crappy companies.
  • Oh Microsoft, you sly bastard you.
  • I personally dont mind Kinect rather have it over than ps move or whatever you call it. Plus its faster to search for stuff using it than typing for something.
  • Well thank you Microsoft, you MAY have just earned my support back.
  • Don't get all this sudden love for MS. They've treated their customer base terribly, not just in what they announced but how they spoke down to their customer base. JUSTDEALWITHIT might have been only one man's tweet but it sums up exactly how MS have dealt with their loyal customers. Then the backlash & they see their customer base moving towards PS & they bottle it. Still too expensive because of kinnect which most people don't really want. I got the first one & now just use it as headphones for playing online, hardly worth the expense. If they are so adamant that its going to add so much to the experience chuck it in the package but at the same cost as the PS4.
  • Ok, so this news now has me wondering..... If region locking is now removed, and a console from a different country can be used, if I was to buy a US console (with me being in the UK) would it work out cheaper than paying out for an overpriced UK console? OR are delivery costs/import taxes likely to push the cost up past the point of importing the console in the first place? Answers on a postcard please :D
  • HUZZAH!!!
  • Now were talking.
  • Wow Microsoft are a bunch a pussies with this move. desperate motherfuckers man. It's sad
  • lots of things no word on ditching mandatory Kinect(sad face) I for one was excited for never having to set foot in a store or wait outside till midnight for a launch. ditching all that plastic and package and shipping cost could have bee great. as well as buying the game once and having it available 4 all tv in my house and all players. I wonder if there is a local server option to allow this. could of used the saving on 3 gold memberships too.
  • @242 I'm confused, how does the existence or non existence of DRM effect your ability to avoid, having to set foot in the store and ditching shipping costs and packaging? You can still buy all games digital on day 1 exactly like you could a week ago before the policy change.
  • @3: Well said my friend! If you've seen in the very first thread about this when it was just 'rumor'...it's amazing that there are so many that are going to find ways to complain and bitch..
  • Thank you, Sony, for making me want to buy an Xbox One. By shaming the shit out of Microsoft at E3.
  • After reading all the comments its really got me thinking about how bad/uncaring Microsoft has become... I wont support a company like this like I no longer support Blizzard Entertainment... it's ALL about money now and they could give a damn what there fans really want... this is in now way an "Im sorry" from Microsoft, it was them looking at the numbers and realizing that they would not do well if they pushed this crap on us... Blizzard didn't listen and Diablo 3 was a giant turd (never again Blizzard), Xbox listened because they had to but it doesn't mean they wouldn't drown you in DRM if they got the chance, I've decided I wont ever be buying an Xbox One (honestly dont feel its much of an upgrade anyway), I can't support rude companies like this... they'll just put the drm on a year later anyway. And the whole Backwards compatabilty emulation issue is a joke... Microsoft techs cant do it but im sure some dude in his basement will have it figured out within a few months... what a joke... enjoy rebuying 360 games for you XB1 because microsoft knows you'll pay for them.
  • I guess the Gaming World isn't quite ready for the new future of gaming, well done Microsoft for given the fans what they wanted. I guess all those Hackers & Pirates out there are now rubbing there hands together.
  • @174 if you had the ability to actually read on the topic you might actually realize that none of the damn policies they implemented would affect you considering you have the net and you do play online Any fucking way then your fine any damn way. you can still buy used it's written in the previous articles. only thing your bitching did was remove the one huge improvement they made good job idiot! go read some more and educate yourself before trying to debate with me moron
  • As long as my wife can still play all my downloaded games, then I have no problem with this. Still...saving games to the cloud and playing them anywhere without a disc would've been nice. I'm iffy on how I feel about this announcement, to be honest.
  • NICE! I wasn't that worried about it but good job listening to the customer.
  • If you think that this decision was made because of the fans of xbox you're a little naive. Microsoft saw that their sales were going to plummet to the PS4 because of how many unsatisfied people. They didn't do it because of so many people crying out. They did it because they saw their pockets getting shallower. Its all over that Sony stomped on Microsoft at E3. So they decided that they needed to level the playing field a little so that they would still have some success.
  • yeah i won't support microsoft at all. money loving whores. i will make a new gaming console fit for players. i learned from other peoples mistakes.
  • lmao everyone's back on Xbox's dick cause of this lmao what happened to "fuck Microsoft" or "I'm getting a PS4" lmao sad how one change can make you change your decision lol at least I was one of the few here actually getting it before this announcement I guess the line will be long after all dammit I was hoping it would be a in and out
  • @252 So YOU will make a new gaming console? If you do, please call it the BunnyBox...
  • @254 haha. I probably won't name it that but if I do, I'll make sure to give you due credit
  • Now that is both a coward and brave act. Thanks MS. But still concerned about the 499 price tag. expecting an announcement on a price drop soon :)
  • I'm stil getting ps4. Ms is clearly only thinking about money. And ps4 has 50% gpu Power which Will show in multiplatform games later on. Only thing that appeals me on Xbox 180 is halo Serie.
  • Can't say I'm surprised at the 180 from fans, still, I'm waiting a year after both systems are released. No one here seems to remember the problems we faced with new systems during this generation, RRODs and PS3 hiccups. There's still plenty of life in our current generation of systems, not to mention the best games of this generation are still coming. If you're worried about missing out on some titles that are coming soon because of exclusives, exclusives for launch other than first-party titles are almost never exclusive for long. Deadrising 3 will eventually come to Sony, Capcom wants your money. Titanfall is coming to 360 and PC. IMO there's just not enough of a reason to pick up either of the systems right away at launch, the best games shown at E3 won't be coming out for another year anyway...including Halo. Can't say I'm more interested in Microsoft anyways...as an Indie developer they chopped their own hands off when they decided to stop supporting their own development IDE...while Sony this time around are welcoming the Indie community with open arms. That's a big selling point in my eyes. This type of reaction from Microsoft goes to show that our voices matter, that we can vote with our wallets. You are all free to do as you please, just be smart about it.
  • People are now complaining about the price? The price is good. The console will have a 10 year shelf life. If you can't afford it stick with your 360. They aren't just going to throw it out cheap are they? Jesus fucking Christ. You give the internet and inch and they want a yard.
  • Well, son of a bitch.
  • Well I'm still getting a PS4 first
  • How much you want to bet these mother fuckers did this shit on purpose to just fuck with everybody? This doesn't seem possible.
  • I was getting the system even before this announcement. But now that this is happening as well, all the better. Too all those who said they were jumping ship to PS4, I still say good riddance and please don't come crawling back :)
  • Overall relieved, but also majorly disappointed by some things. I adjust quickly, so I was already very used to the always on idea. I don't mind it going, though. What I was really looking forward to was being able to play my game collection anywhere in the region on any Xbox One console, just by logging in to my account. I was looking forward to never having to swap out discs because they were all stored in the cloud. I was looking forward to sharing titles digitally with my dad's Xbox One. I was one of those few very willing to embrace the price necessary for all those conveniences, and so I'm a tad disappointed by this decision. It won't take long at all for me to get used to this again, though. And even though I'll have to have my disc in the drive to play still and I'll have to carry my discs around with me as I move about from place to place (I go to college, but come home every summer - and I was thinking about switching schools next year, so the no-disc thing was looking very convenient for me), I guess I won't mind it. I guess the console gaming community just isn't ready for some of these changes yet. That's a shame. If the assumptions of digital licensing were true - that everybody could access the Internet, etc - the Xbox One would be very successful. Hopefully Xbox One sees the transition begin, then, eventually. And hopefully by next console cycle, the world will be more ready for some of these systems. In the meantime, bring it on Microsoft. The Xbox One. My body is ready.
  • Of course everybody's coming crawling back to Microsoft; they actually listened and got rid of that DMR crap. Now if only they'd make the Kinect optional, it'd be perfect. I'd prefer that Kinect be optional, but the inability to play used games was what was keeping me from wanting an Xbox One. Now that Microsoft has wised up, I'll be reserving my Xbox One now.
  • Addendum: I just read that games downloaded via Xbox LIVE will actually work the way originally intended - log in with your gamertag on any Xbox One to play them. This makes me wonder - could they possibly add a system where they charge an extra $5 for a "full" game install from a disc? That is, use the physical disc as a one-time use "key" to be able to purchase a $5 version of the full game via Xbox LIVE? Because I'm a huge collector, I'll still want to buy and keep my discs. And yet I'm also a huge fan of convenience, so I really dig not having to switch discs out of my drives, as well as being able to access my entire library from any machine just by logging in. In short: I really like both the physical present AND the digital future. So the simple solution for me would be to buy the disc AND the physical version. But as I don't want to spend $120 every time I purchase a game, I just wonder if there's any way Microsoft could use each disc as some sort of a key to purchase a discounted version of the more convenient digital game. An extra $5 for the added convenience factor, essentially. I would probably do it every single time.
  • @222 I'm so sick of people using the phrase "don't like it don't use it" or "don't like it don't buy it" in response to criticism. What you're really saying when you use that phrase is if somebody has a negative opinion to not express it. How about you actually come up with a real argument instead of mindlessly parroting a phrase that doesn't address the issue at all. Many people are complaining about it because it's clearly driving up the cost of the console and that there's no option to buy the console without Kinect. Simply refusing to use Kinect doesn't change the fact that you're still forced to pay for it.
  • This is awesome, but I'm still not buying it until years from now. $500 is expensive. Especially when you consider that the $500 includes a mandatory Big Brother Kinect that I have no intent on using, which is what's driving up the price. And the fact you still have to pay for online, which is also expensive for the fact I don't want 90% of the features, just "to play online" which shouldn't be behind a paywall. If you're going to charge for online still, make tiers that omit the excess shit like sports and apps that are free *everywhere else* that apparently cost money on Xbox. But with the PS4 having a few leverages, including the $100 price difference, I feel it's just a better value overall. Hell, Wii U at $300 gives you video chat, access to apps like Netflix (w/sub)/Youtube/etc, and online play for free. So even without the issues that were plaguing Xbox One originally, it's still unappealingly expensive compared to the other two consoles and what you get.
  • RIGHT! Light your torches and grab your pitchforks! We're heading over to the ps3 trophies site to get revenge for all the new Sony boy comments!
  • Backwards compatibility maybe next?
  • I'm still getting both
  • No Xbox M'one'Y for me, Converted
  • Yeah a bit late MS. Obviously a reaction to PS4 pre-orders outselling X1 up to 1:5 in some countries. It was always about the games for me which console I bought first, but MS just really went at this way wrong and lost my first day buy. It's not just the DRM crap, it's the way they went about it as well. That people can overlook this so easily is beyond me. Moogie101 already said it so for that.... QFT: #237 by MOOGIE101 Wednesday, June 19, 2013 @ 07:50:47 PM Don't get all this sudden love for MS. They've treated their customer base terribly, not just in what they announced but how they spoke down to their customer base. JUSTDEALWITHIT might have been only one man's tweet but it sums up exactly how MS have dealt with their loyal customers. Then the backlash & they see their customer base moving towards PS & they bottle it. Still too expensive because of kinnect which most people don't really want. I got the first one & now just use it as headphones for playing online, hardly worth the expense. If they are so adamant that its going to add so much to the experience chuck it in the package but at the same cost as the PS4.
  • I had my Xbox One pre ordered as i understood what Microsoft were trying to do with the future of gaming and liked where it was going. With the 360 i rented a lot of games and was annoyed when i found out about the Xbox One's block on this, but after hearing what they were trying to do with the Xbox One it did not bother me as much. Have to say I'm disappointed with Microsoft for caving in to the pressure of narrow minded people who wont change.
  • Everyone said they listened to fans, they didn't. They saw the number of preorders, which was far less than the PS4 on amazon. Just because they changed a massive amount of their characteristics one shouldn't forget what they tried to pull and how awful it would've been.
  • @110 You may be right. Every local GameStop within 30 miles of me sold out of all in-store orders within a few hours of this news dropping.
  • #275 spot on, they only listen to themselves ,if the preorder numbers were the same or a little less then PS4 they did not change anything and now they come with a bullsh*t story about listening to the consumer and change about everything about the console that didnt make sense in the first place. Just because microsoft want to make a console with al those restrictions doesnt mean we will buy it. Just goes to show its all about money. Thank you Micro$oft(sarcastic)we will forgive but never forget the shit you tried to pull.
  • Now just get rid of Kinect so you can't sell my data to a government that I don't belong to.
  • This is good news. To be honest i'm not a fanboy of any company. Each generation has had it's winners. This gen i have been whole heartedly behind the 360. But as a gamer i still had a wii and a PS3 for there exclusives. With the shit Microsoft tried to pull prior to there backflip i decided to go with the PS4 as my main console next gen (meaning i'll play my multiplatform games on it) and i was still going to get an XB1 eventually but not on launch and i was going to wait for it to get some good exclusives. As much as i want to stick with Microsoft next gen like i did with this one, them completely changing there policy won't do it for me. I'm glad they did because what they tried to pull was ridiculous and i can admit now i am a lot more excited to eventually get one but just the fact that they basically tried to hold us consumers down as a whole and rape us means i won't be showing them the same support ever again. I'm not a fanboy, and i'll get an XB1 eventually but they can suck my dick if they think i'll go crawling back to them and show them the same support i did this gen after what they tried to put on the market.
  • I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!! 'Brick Tamland'
  • Yes well done Microsoft it proves you do listen to the community now just lower the price from £426 to £326 and ill love you forever ;). p.s I STILL LOVE YOU XBOX
  • drop the price (-100$) and remove the kinect 2.0 bullcrap M$!
  • So a hand full of people complain, and the media runs with it and now everybody loses out on features. That really doesn't sound like a win. They should keep the original system they had planned but only use it for digital purchases and let the people who must have a disk they can trade on ebay have the same system the current consoles use.
  • Why cant they do what was "rumoured" when the one was codenamed Durango. that was microsoft were going to produce two boxes; one digital with all the set top box features. the other was going to be disc based. that way everyone wins and everyone could decide what they want to buy
  • Am I one of the few people who actually liked the original plans? I was looking forward to the family share and playing my games anywhere from any console. Kind of bummed about this now
  • OK, now, if the remove this Kinect POS and lower the price by 100$, I'll consider buying it.
  • My only biggest complaint with the orginal plans was that it's not about not being able to afford internet there are some cases when I actually cannont have internet... Being in the military we go to places where we are lucky to have power and when we do on my down time I pull out my xbox and my 13in screen and play the way it was I wouldn't have been able to play when deployed :( What I don't understand is why they can't still include all the features that they were talking about but just add the fact that you don't need to check in online anymore... So if you don't have it connected you miss out on some features just like when you don't have your 360 plugged in you don't have access to all the XBL features. I also like when the next gen consoles have backward compatiblity so I don't have a tower of consoles just to play some throw back titles. But I guess they will make them available to download and make some money reselling me games I already own I guess. : and I would say while yes I'm disappointed with the way M$ handled things I'm too much a Halo fan and some of the other exclusive titles will help me forgive... I was really worried that I wasn't going to be able to play future Halo titles :(
  • Fair play to Microsoft. They have wisely remembered that with out gamers, consoles and games are nothing. I will be sticking with Xbox.
  • What did they expect the initial reaction was going to be in the first place?! Of course there was going to be a backlash from consumers! Sony probably had the same idea, but jumped board quickly and reacted to the inevitable downfall of XBOX One unveiling all those shite features! Because of the shambles of a presentation and Q&A's that were so shit! Literally no where gave us the difinitive answers we wanted! I will be purchasing a PS4 most likely, they don't treat there consumers like shit, and then realise how much cash they are about to lose and then jump ship when they have already crashed it in to a wall! Microsoft - Too little, too late! Idiots for letting that train wreck go ahead!!
  • @107 Then speak for yourself and not everybody.
  • Great news! Loved the 'Xbox One80' heading; very funny!
  • I already had both pre-ordered, "just in case". Was 100% certain I was going to cancel at least the xbone pre-order. Since E3 I have realized the benefits of PS+, and my new love for my PS3, which I don't like much as a system, but the PS4 looks to fix the things that bother me. Trophys I find stupid, I love my achievements, but it has sorta ruined gaming for me a bit. I am really glad MS came to their senses, but the damage was done in my eyes. I won't look at them the same way. They drove me back to the other side, and I like what I see. So I will be giving Sony a year to see how it goes. May hold off getting a PS4 after hearing this news to see how things play out.
  • Microsoft can change anything they want. After heating all the limitations that they originally had I converted to sony.
  • I don't take sides but aren't any of you guys feeling a little f....ed up. Come on MS has his beliefs in the policy and now they throw it all away because they know it would not work. What are they gone do when a next consolewar starts... try it again and see if the fish than bites. They don't really care about us gamers in my opinion. Once again, they have nice exclusive games but what fact does that change... they will find others ways to take out as much cash as they can
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