Microsoft Drops Xbox One DRM Restrictions - UPDATED

[tdylan]

The damage is already done, I highly doubt it'll change people's minds overnight.

I think you underestimate the power of all things Halo. There are people that were gonna buy Xbone before MS changed their tune in spite of all the bullshit solely because they need their Halo fix. There are those that need their Halo fix, but weren't going to buy it solely because of the restrictions. Now that the restrictions are gone, they have an excuse to buy it.

What bothers me is: didn't sony have linux support in the PS3, and then remove it later? Sure, you didn't have to agree to the change of terms in the EULA, but that meant you couldn't access the playstation online features proper. What's to stop MS from "removing" these restrictions now just to get units in homes, and then changing the EULA later to say "if you want to use it, you need to allow DRM/Always on?"

 

[Vigormortis]

"We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity," he continued. "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."

I don't know about anyone else, but the bolded bit makes me a bit nervous; perhaps even dubious about this supposed "turn around".

It sounds almost like PR speak for, "Sure you can play offline all you want, but you can never access the online features ever again."

Regardless, I'm waiting for more info before I jump for joy at this reversal.

 

[wooty]

Honestly, I think this is more in response to Sony that it ever was to the gaming community.

You stole exactly what I was going to say. It seems that peer pressure can exist even within massive corporations, not just classrooms.

 

[V8 Ninja]

Good, Microsoft. Granted, I still won't buy an Xbox One because of some other reasons, but you did good. Now do better.

 

[saintdane05]

YES! VICTORY!
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I'm not getting one, but this is a HUGE success for the game community!

 

[comet5002]

If it's still going to cost 500 bucks then it's still not going to be included in my shopping list. If all this actually happens, then good for them for listening to the community, but that price tag is still a big glowing issue.

This is, of course, coming from a college student who can barely afford a weeks worth of ramen, so I'm sure wealthier people will see all this and be ecstatic. However, I like to think that I speak for a large part of the college community, which seems to be a large part of Microsoft's fanbase anyway.

 

[Busard]

I am fucking angry about this.

Angry because people will be flocking to them now and going "OMG ALL HAIL SAVIOURS, THEY LISTEN TO CUSTOMERS"

They didn't listen to customers, they listened to the sound of the xbone being outsold up to 5:1, even in america. IT also means all that bullshit about the cloud was thouroughly..well....fuckin bullshit. They tried to rim us in the ass with no lube and would've gone all the way with it if it didn't cost them as much.

It's a somewhat good news for consumers but the fact that they're going to get away with this infuriates me.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

All I could think of (Microsoft is Pikachu)
<img src=http://www.arwrath.com/content/1/110627.gif>

And this too
<img src=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNJr_uKCEAAG2XG.jpg>

 

[Gearhead mk2]

I'm glad that they're dropping it, but as far as I'm concerned, it's too little too late. They should never have come up with those policies to begin with. And who's to say they've canned them completely? They may quietly re-instate them down the line. I don't know if I will get involved in this new generation, but whether I do or not, I can guarantee I won't be buying an Xbone.

 

[Tony2077]

your not suppose hit a dog when it does something bad only praise them when they do something good

 

[Anti-Robot Man]

It's been confirmed on their own website as true. It was obviously the only sane move in their position, if they had gone to market with their previous policies everyone but the most deluded fanboys could see this thing would've tanked worldwide.

I don't blame them for changing their policy, but I do hold all their other nonsense against them, and they've lost me as a customer because of it, I have no trust in them. The machine still has design problems, is under-powered, ugly, requires kinect and is too expensive - but this does put them back in the game, and ultimately that's a good thing - an uncontested Sony in the console market would've become bad for consumers.

The die-hard fanboys should take this as a lesson though (they won't), instead of screaming at people that MS (or anyone else) can do no wrong and that everyone who disagrees is an idiot, let people express what they feel is wrong with something and things can potentially change for the better (especially pre-release). I would bet the real reason for the change is the pre-order numbers and retailer feedback though, but the press/fan response had to have had at least an indirect effect.

 

[omega 616]

Thank you microsoft! The grin on my face is just a little smaller than when you got your shit pushed in at E3.

I am imagining it like a cartoon boat, the boat is on full speed aimed right at a waterfall, the people on the bank are screaming "turn around, turn around" but they keep on trucking, "stop" scream the on lookers but SS microsoft are full steam ahead!

Then, they realize the disaster ahead and what they should do to avoid it .... after a week of talking about it they decide the best course of action is to bring the boat to a screeching holt, smoke and all (it is a cartoon), lift the boat, spin it 180 degrees, drop the boat and cartoonishly speed off!

I wouldn't even be mad (or whatever) at anybody who decides to go with a xbone now. If you were a "fuck xbone!" and are now "I'm going to get an xbone" then I will think no less of you.

Stood up to microsoft and they collapsed like a house of cards during an earthquake, now that they have done a 180 there is no reason not to get one .... besides the $100, that is.

 

[Kilt'd]

This is good news. But that Don Mattrick was the one to announce it? After his 'buy a 360' comment? That is beautiful. It Senator Stern being made to present Stark with his commendation at the end of Iron Man 2.

Honestly, I think that removing the DRM now won't completely undo the damage that's already been done by Microsoft's terrible handling of the gaming public's concerns at E3, but it's a start. In any case, it's definitely a positive move if totally out of line with there previous position, and it at least makes it easier to compare the consoles on their own merits as consoles rather than having the xBone out of the running for so many consumers already.

 

[antigodoflife]

While I have to say this is good news for everyone, Microsoft - Have more conviction!

 

[jollybarracuda]

So when Angry Joe interviewed Major Nelson, and he asked if the online checks and DRM could be turned off, and Nelson gave the most snarky of responses saying, "Did you develop for this Joe? Tell me how easy it is", he was just being a complete ass to an interviewer and feeding everyone watching a bunch of BS?

Yah, take away the DRM Microsoft, please. I was almost hoping that the system would come out, we would actually be able to appreciate the things it did, make our own assessments, and buy the console of our choice. But nope, all that talk of looking to the future and us not understanding what's so great about it? All lies. Good to know.

 

[shrekfan246]

Thank you for at least getting the concept of what a 180 vs a 360 actually is. I remember towards the beginning of this generation, I kept seeing Sony fans saying things like "you know why its called a 360? Cause you see one and do a 360 and walk away." it made me wish I had a Facepunch key on my computer.

Actually...

Hm...

I don't know if I should spoil the surprise for you...

Spoiler: Aw, what the heck

OT: Still too little, too late in my mind. I'll give credit where it's due that they're backtracking on the phoning home and "sell back at participating retailers" thing, but the slew of bad PR that came out of Mattrick's mouth leading up to this has put me off the system. If they don't try putting it back in a year or two down the line, I may pick one up after it's about half the launch price, depending on what exclusives they can actually get.

 

[Darklord008]

Sweet. If this turns out to be true, I'll feel even less bad about buying an Xbone eventually.

 

[setting_son]

Prior to having details of the system I had been planning on getting an Xbox One, then the online requirement came to light along with the used game policy... I began to have doubts*.

(* My internet connection is fairly stable but occasionally Richard Branson has a spasm and it goes offline until Virgin Media come round to put the exchange back together. And I don't buy used games but if my wages are short, trading games in is the only way I can afford new ones. So these things... they wouldn't totally ruin my game experience but they could cause me inconvenience, theoretically)

And then the price was announced; I can handle restrictive online requirements even if it leaves a bad taste in the mouth but at the same time as paying £100 more than the PS4 which does all the same stuff minus the online tethering? Too far.

This move has done a lot to win me back to buying an Xbox One... however, given that Microsoft were adamant that all of their restrictive practices were 'the future', the fact they reversed themselves in the face of bad PR suggests to me that either they knew it was bullshit all along but didn't expect to get called on it. Or they do believe it but lack the courage of their convictions.

Liars or idiots? (Or both)

 

[Jesse Billingsley]

Too late Microsoft! I'm already planning on buying a PS4 now that most of my Live friends are already planning on doing the same thing. We even have our squad line up set for The Division. Have a nice day, it's been real

But Kudos to the community for sticking it to the man!

 

[unstabLized]

Too late and not enough for me. Nice of you backtrack this hard that goes against everything you've said about the damn console up to till this point, but no. That bullshit kinect is still on there, and the $500 tag is still unjustifiable. Also, everyone can thank Sony for actually causing this to happen, because God knows these corporate assholes have their head so far up their ass that they wouldn't change shit if Sony didn't sucker punch them at E3. They're not listening to the customers and the feedback, they're listening to the sounds of the Xbones being outsold.