Xbox One's Policy Reveal, According To Microsoft's Whitten

[Karloff]

Xbox One's Policy Reveal, According To Microsoft's Whitten

"We love getting feedback from gamers," says Whitten, as the Xbone pulls a 180.

"We love getting feedback from gamers," says Microsoft's Marc Whitten, "My ideal scenario is always that I'm working to build a product they love." But in the wake of the Xbox One's sudden policy reversal [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125204-Microsoft-Drops-Xbox-One-DRM-Restrictions-UPDATED], there will be some changes. "What's going to happen is your online games and your physical games will work like they do today," says Whitten, which means Family Sharing is out. You'll also need to keep your physical discs with you when moving from place to place, rather than rely on the digital Games Library, as you'll need the disc to play. However one benefit of this is that, when you take a disc to your friend's Xbox One and play it there, should your friend want to buy the game no download will be required, as the digital heavy lifting will already have been done by the disc.

"There was always going to be a day one update on the console," Whitten confirms, "and that's frankly just a difference in manufacturing schedules versus software schedules." So you'll still need to be online for that crucial first update, but Whitten did say you'll be able to get it via smartphone tethering if need be; a benefit for those whose broadband is less than stellar. While always online - or its near-equivalent, the 24 hour check in - is no longer a thing, games which require a connected state, like Forza with its drivatars, will still need one regardless of Microsoft's policy change. "But that's up to the game experience and sort of how they use those features," says Whitten. The Kinect is still as vital as ever; you'll need to have it in order to play any of your games.

"If you think about the last three or four weeks, this has been our first chance to show our complete platform," Whitten concluded. "We've been listening to the feedback, we've been reading the forums, we've been reading the comments since that time." He's hopeful that the games on offer and the features provided by the new console will be sufficient to get customers exited again for the Xbox One. Whether that's so remains to be seen; we'll find out when the 2013 holiday season rolls around, and the $499 Xbone goes up against the $399 PS4.

Source: IGN [http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/xbox-one-will-require-day-one-update]


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[windlenot]

I like the whole "wants gamers to get excited again about the Xbox One" thing. Their PR and marketing figured out how to do their job.

 

[Legion]

I like the whole "wants gamers to get excited again about the Xbox One" thing. Their PR and marketing figured out how to do their job.

I suspect that's because up until the reveal, they weren't thinking of the consumers at all. Instead they were trying to impress the shareholders and publishers with how much money they would make if everybody who bought an Xbox 360 bought the XBone.

You'd think after all of the fairly recent gaming "controversies" companies would realise that people will only take so much crap before going to the competitor.

At least they are learning I suppose.

 

[RJ 17]

The Kinect is still as vital as ever; you'll need to have it in order to play any of your games.

Annnnnd that's why I still have no interest in the new Xbox. Why does the Kinect have to be mandatory? Why not ship the Kinect with the console but have it be optional? Why stuff it down our throats and say "We know this was a big piece of crap that didn't sell for the current generation, but you're going to use this fucking thing AND YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT, DAMNIT!"

 

[wetfart]

Part of me wonders if this is all some sort of weird product testing that Microsoft is doing.

Bob: Hey Jim, what should we do if we want to make our new console interesting?

Jim: I know, we can have it use ... The Cloud!

Bob: Won't that require everyone to be online?

Jim: Sure will, Bob. Lets see if that flies with our customers.

 

[Colt47]

They didn't listen to consumers. They listened to pre-order numbers and the loss of money in the bank because of the DRM policies and Kinect issue. Unfortunately, they still haven't dealt with the kinect or the price discrepancy, so it's a no purchase for me.

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

i feel there gonna include in the Fine Print the fact they cant Turn there Policys Back around Again Anytime they Want

 

[Griffolion]

Still not getting it. No matter what you do now, MS, you've lost all trust for this generation.

 

[Mr. Q]

Translation "We're covering our asses since our PR department sucks at their job and we really wanna avoid bankruptcy and an angry mob of gamers armed with pitchforks and shotguns."

 

[Shoggoth2588]

The Kinect is still as vital as ever; you'll need to have it in order to play any of your games.

Hey look, there appears to be a Deal shattered all over the floor...

"If you think about the last three or four weeks, this has been our first chance to show our complete platform," Whitten concluded. "We've been listening to the feedback, we've been reading the forums, we've been reading the comments since that time."

...I wonder what Jago1130 is up to now...?

---

I know I've said it somewhere before (and I know others have said it too) but another thing that's gone unchanged is the "we have the right to change our services at any point and for whatever reason" clause. I'm not saying the XBone we saw will end up being the one customers end up with in a year or two or, three but I am saying that the XBone could pull another 180 (by which time it will have become a 360 but a much more restrictive one)

 

[ASnogarD]

Strange...

I must of been in a alternative world.
I was hearing things from MS like...

... deal with it.

... consumers need to be educated.

... it is a necessary evil.

... it uses the power of the cloud and is only possible with the cloud.

I bet the shareholders got the willies when the outrage from the 'vocal minority' reached the lofty heights of the penthouses, and it didnt help matters that Sony was poking fun at them at E3 with 'instructional videos' on how to trade and borrow physical disk based games on the PS4...

... ahhhhh, THATS the feedback Marc is talking about, now it makes sense... but I didnt know the shareholders were gamers.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

the 24 hour check in - is no longer a thing, games which require a connected state, like Forza with its drivatars, will still need one regardless of Microsoft's policy change. "But that's up to the game experience and sort of how they use those features," says Whitten.

this is all I wanted for single player games, a bit of choice. not have the online features forced upon us (although, I might like them if i give them a try) - speaking in general here not specificallt Xbone

 

[VladG]

No more downloadable games or family sharing eh? This makes me think MS only "changed" it's policy so people could go "oh noes, no more family sharing, please, oh please MS, go back to fucking us with a rusty iron dildo like before" and they could swoop in with all their DRM always-online bullshit and say it was great all along, you stupid, filthy consumers.

Heaven forbid they actually DO implement the few worthwhile online features AND the possibility of a full offline mode.






OT.

What the hell kind of captcha is this? Seriously!

 

[windlenot]

I like the whole "wants gamers to get excited again about the Xbox One" thing. Their PR and marketing figured out how to do their job.

I suspect that's because up until the reveal, they weren't thinking of the consumers at all. Instead they were trying to impress the shareholders and publishers with how much money they would make if everybody who bought an Xbox 360 bought the XBone.

You'd think after all of the fairly recent gaming "controversies" companies would realise that people will only take so much crap before going to the competitor.

At least they are learning I suppose.

Exactly. I'd like to think they learned, but I can't completely believe that. We'll have to see what the Microsoft's future brings to the consumers, as opposed to the publishers.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Now the gamers have one. They got what they wanted, and thats great. But when i read various sites, some people are happy and will get a xbone now. But mostly people are still moaning, now its moaning about what ifs. What if MS added this DRM etc a few years down the line? Etc etc. Its becoming silly now, like any reason they can moan about, they will moan. Only thing you could moan about is kinect, it needs to always be on but if your not using it will it still need to be in an optimal place in your room? Other than that, im fine with the xbone now....well the £55 game price sucks, but i hope thats just because its new.

 

[tdylan]

Now the gamers have one. They got what they wanted, and thats great. But when i read various sites, some people are happy and will get a xbone now. But mostly people are still moaning, now its moaning about what ifs. What if MS added this DRM etc a few years down the line? Etc etc. Its becoming silly now, like any reason they can moan about, they will moan. Only thing you could moan about is kinect, it needs to always be on but if your not using it will it still need to be in an optimal place in your room? Other than that, im fine with the xbone now....well the £55 game price sucks, but i hope thats just because its new.

The concerns are justified. MS said that all this "connected" functionality was something that could NOT be turned off. Now they say "it was our plan to turn it off on Day One all along." Sony praised the PS3's linux functionality, and then later exercised their right to remove it.

MS could just as easily exercise their "right" to flip the DRM switch back to "on." It's clear they cannot be trusted, so why on earth would you trust them? They said "we can't turn it off," and "it's the future." Now they say "we planned to turn it off all along."

Yes, there are some that will acting MS for now other reason than it being en vogue, but there are those that will defend MS from criticism that's highly justified.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

...I wonder what Jago1130 is up to now...?

shame he got himself banned, i'd be interested on his stance here

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Now the gamers have one. They got what they wanted, and thats great. But when i read various sites, some people are happy and will get a xbone now. But mostly people are still moaning, now its moaning about what ifs. What if MS added this DRM etc a few years down the line? Etc etc. Its becoming silly now, like any reason they can moan about, they will moan. Only thing you could moan about is kinect, it needs to always be on but if your not using it will it still need to be in an optimal place in your room? Other than that, im fine with the xbone now....well the £55 game price sucks, but i hope thats just because its new.

The concerns are justified. MS said that all this "connected" functionality was something that could NOT be turned off. Now they say "it was our plan to turn it off on Day One all along." Sony praised the PS3's linux functionality, and then later exercised their right to remove it.

MS could just as easily exercise their "right" to flip the DRM switch back to "on." It's clear they cannot be trusted, so why on earth would you trust them? They said "we can't turn it off," and "it's the future." Now they say "we planned to turn it off all along."

Yes, there are some that will acting MS for now other reason than it being en vogue, but there are those that will defend MS from criticism that's highly justified.

With the xbone 6 months till release, its really not hard to believe they can change this stuff now. Its not like they are changing it mid release like PS3 with its backward compatibility. I really dont think they could just decided to add DRM, that would give people the reason to sue them for it. Its a major change that goes against the product you bought. An of course they well say "we cant turn it off" they are selling their product. Why would they say they could turn it off? End of the day the console is 6 months a way and they can still tweak it all they want until they start production.

But yes, i agree. There is a small chance that they could switch it back. The techs all their to make it able to. I guess its a risk. I guess you either trust them or not. But even Sony could do the same thing in the future. But to be honest, i doubt either company will.

lol My capture said Swan Song. So maybe that means im wrong.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Wait since when did they care about what gamers think? They only give a fuck when the media at large starts telling everyone how shit their policies are.