Confirmed: Microsoft DROP DRM and always online

[Ryan57]

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.

From Microsoft themselves.

[Ryan57]

CVG now also reporting it. Gathering pace...

[Shaun]

was wondering why i was low on eggs... guess they're on their faces.

[Tom4784]

I reckon it might never have had these features to begin with, if it's true then I think they were just testing the waters. It would explain the rather bizarre business choices they've made so far.

[Brother Leon]

Obviously it is true. Doubt they are stupid enough to stick with it lol.

[Ryan57]

It's true: "As a result of feedback from the Xbox community, we have changed certain policies for Xbox One reflected in this blog" More soon...

From a journalist at VideoGamer.

Obviously it is true. Doubt they are stupid enough to stick with it lol.

Wouldn't say it was that obvious, tbh. They were defending it hugely.

Edit: Officlal. http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/qa

OMFG! Welcome back, Microsoft. Welcome back.

[Ramsay]

Still gonna stick with the PS4, but at least there can be some sort of competition now

[Ryan57]

Xbox One isn't backwards compatible but it is BACKTRACKWARDS compatible.

Damn, where is that kid gif where he seems to go like 'ooooohhhh' at an awards ceremony.

[Brother Leon]

Will probably end up buying an xBox sometime next year too then. At least if my Little & Older brothers stay xBox fanboys it won't be a useless console and I'll use it now and then lol.

[Ryan57]

Chuffed tbh. Intended to, hopefully, get one at some point anyway. However, it makes things much tougher to decide on now.

[Scarlett.]

Still gonna get a PS4, backpedaling doesnt excuse them from being arseholes.

[King Gizzard]

Too late

[Black Dagger]

Meh, they are still wankers and I hope PS4 trounce them, I know I'll be getting a PS4.

[Scarlett.]

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.

From Xbox.com

[Tom4784]

Yeah I'm sticking with with PS4, it's still cheaper with PS+ then an Xbox One is without Gold.

I may get one eventually though if there's some interesting exclusives, the only game I'd truly want to play on it atm is Killer Instinct.

[Ryan57]

Was just going to post that, Chewy. Beat me to it. Will update the OP.

[Scarlett.]

Yeah, I might get one in a few years too, I think this is a good thing for both consoles, it reintroduces competition to the console market. I think most people will stick with the PS4 now though.

[Ryan57]

Fantastic news. Need competition. Still undecided on which to get on launch, provided I get either at release.

[Niall]

Now that they've retracted the ridiculous DRM, the XB1 actually sounds quite good. All the cloud options they're implementing within the next generation of Live for the console make it seem quite appealing.

That said though, I'll still be going with Sony because I've always preferred the PlayStation and quite frankly, I'll never trust Microsoft again now.

[Ramsay]

yes i'm happy. competition is always a good thing

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

does kinect still have to be connect all the time though? :suspect:

[Scarlett.]

does kinect still have to be connect all the time though? :suspect:

Yep, the whole thing seems like a bit of a PR gambit, they announce something outrageous and draw attention to it, making sure everyone is looking at Xbox, then miraculously change their minds while everyone is still looking, making it look like they're the good guys.

[Blink_Me]

It's all a ploy so they can say, "oh, we listened to the fans."

[Niall]

Okay well it seems that along with this, they've dropped all those fancy new cloud-based game storage features. Now I'm completely disinterested again.

[Wildcat!]

Microsoft changed there mind for now. I wouldn't doubt it if they changed there mind again.
After making a bunde for a few months, they can easily revert back to their initial plans.
You would have to be dumb not to realise that.
Plus they are not doing it for the consumers, more than likely, they got pressure from shareholders, to remove all that nonsense after Microsoft's stock dropped hard.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

they seriously need to get rid of the kinect always on thing

if they did that i would probably go xbone next gen

[Ryan57]

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/07/11/fans-petition-for-microsoft-to-restore-original-xbox-one-policies?utm_campaign=ign+main+twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Lol.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

they got rid of mandatory kinect :amazed:

kind of dumb how you still have to pay for it though (this is literally the only thing thats stopping me from going xbone next gen, i just dont see the point of paying a lot of extra money for something that will never get used)

ps the touch pad thingy on the ps4 looks kinda gimmicky to me

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

they got rid of mandatory kinect :amazed:

kind of dumb how you still have to pay for it though (this is literally the only thing thats stopping me from going xbone next gen, i just dont see the point of paying a lot of extra money for something that will never get used)

ps the touch pad thingy on the ps4 looks kinda gimmicky to me

[Tregard]

European preorders will now come free with Fifa 14. However, it is still cheaper to get a PS4 + Fifa than an Xbox One

[Brother Leon]

Going to be an interesting battle now. They will lower the price next step. They have realised they ****ed up at the start.

[Tregard]

I think they've lost too much trust now to regain footing, Sony has got it in the bag.

But I may well be wrong...

[Ryan57]

European preorders will now come free with Fifa 14. However, it is still cheaper to get a PS4 + Fifa than an Xbox One

Excellent addition from MS.

[Tregard]

Excellent addition from MS.

Indeed, I can see that being a big push for preorder numbers.

[GiRTh]

Always online gonna come in eventually so brace yourself folks. lot of game these days require you to be online in order to launch properly so this is the next logical step.

As for DRm I have no idea how that will work other than its gonna cause confusion and I anticipate quite a few court cases too.

[Ryan57]

Always online gonna come in eventually so brace yourself folks. lot of game these days require you to be online in order to launch properly so this is the next logical step.

As for DRm I have no idea how that will work other than its gonna cause confusion and I anticipate quite a few court cases too.

This wouldn't go down well on consoles. I can't see it happening this gen especially after the uproar that, thankfully, changed Microsoft's mind.

Indeed, I can see that being a big push for preorder numbers.

Yeah, it will be. Big addition for myself.

[Ryan57]

Launch date coming today. http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6ha2uyfh71rwcc6bo1_400.gif

[Jake.]

This or PS4, I honestly don't know

[Ramsay]

I keep changing my mind jake lol

[Jake.]

I keep changing my mind jake lol

I honestly can't come to a decision karl lol

[Ramsay]

i'll have to hurry up and choose otherwise i might not end up with the day one fifa should i end up picking the xbone

[Samuel.]

I don't know why you'd go Xbox One unless that's what your friends are getting.

Free FIFA isn't that much of a deal when you can buy a PS4 + FIFA separately for cheaper.

[Ramsay]

I don't know why you'd go Xbox One unless that's what your friends are getting.

Free FIFA isn't that much of a deal when you can buy a PS4 + FIFA separately for cheaper.

Yeah pretty much most my the people i know are getting the Xbone because they are used to the 360 it seems..
I could basically get the PS4,Fifa 14 and a year of PS+ for nearly the same price as the Xbone but i don't really want to be on my own..i have barely any friends on PSN as it is lol
Plus i care way more about my xbox gamercard than the PS one

[Jake.]

Yeah pretty much most my the people i know are getting the Xbone because they are used to the 360 it seems..
I could basically get the PS4,Fifa 14 and a year of PS+ for nearly the same price as the Xbone but i don't really want to be on my own..i have barely any friends on PSN as it is lol
Plus i care way more about my xbox gamercard than the PS one

This is exactly my problem lol

[Ryan57]

I don't know why you'd go Xbox One unless that's what your friends are getting.

Free FIFA isn't that much of a deal when you can buy a PS4 + FIFA separately for cheaper.

Exclusives...


The date is being announced at 2pm apparently.

[Ryan57]

Xbox One launches on 22nd November in 13 territories including the US and the UK, Microsoft has announced.

[Ramsay]

Whole week before PS4 hmmm

[Ryan57]

As a result of this incredible consumer demand and the development progress on Xbox One, I am thrilled to share that today we are making available a limited number of additional Xbox One Day One consoles for pre-order. We have coordinated with our retail partners to make it easy for you to reserve your Xbox One today.

http://assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/GifGuide/dancing/1tumblr_lgp6q5NhE21qcjtu8o1_500.gif

[Ryan57]

Whole week before PS4 hmmm

Over here at least. I expected them to beat Sony to the market in the US as well.

Same launch date as the 360 had. 22nd November.

[Ramsay]

Same launch date as the 360 had. 22nd November.

That's actually really cool haha

[Ryan57]

http://i.imgur.com/w3K8di7.png

http://i.imgur.com/i8zkDYr.png

[Brother Leon]

8 controllers is impressive compared to PS4s 4 controllers tbf.

4 on 4 in FIFA would be 5*

[Ramsay]

Can't even imagine how much of a mess the screen would be on a game like COD or something with 8 player lol

[Tom4784]

I don't think Microsoft can realistically do anything to stop a bad launch at this point, the constant 180s and endless bad decisions will see them play catch up to Sony this time around.

[Scarlett.]

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