There’s been much confusion over whether the Xbox One would require an online connection or be able to play used games, but now, Microsoft are clearing it up.
As anyone who’s ever applied for a job or been to an interview will tell you, first impressions are everything. This is something that Microsoft are learning the hard way and fast too as after the initial reception of their new console, the Xbox One, which was formally announced on the 21st of May, things got messy fast. Microsoft’s stock dropped and worst of all, there was turmoil amongst gamers as they struggled to figure out what the console was really about, namely regarding the Xbox One’s rumoured ‘always on’ state and if the console would be able to play used games. So now, Microsoft are having to take to the media to explain themselves.
The concern with the Xbox One is that it just won’t be as open as before and that Microsoft will utilise inbuilt features to police gamers and “check up” on them, or put restrictions on gamers, innocent or guilty, if they try and get up to no good. The thing that could really put a dampner on events would be an ‘always on’ feature. By requiring a constant online connection, Microsoft would be able to monitor users’ activity. While it doesn’t quite have inbuilt ‘always on’ requirements, what the Xbox One has isn’t far off that. In a statement by Microsoft, the company announced that the Xbox One would have to connect to the Internet at least once every 24 hours in order for you to use it. It allows for just one days’ worth of offline play and that’s it. They also say that you if you’re logged into another Xbox One console (that isn’t your primary one), you can play games for up to an hour. Otherwise, without that online connection you can only use it for non-gaming media such as music, movies and TV.
Slightly more confusing is the company’s policy on used games. Whilst not scrapping gamers’ cheaper gaming alternative altogether, what they’ve put in place isn’t much of an improvement from ‘killing pre-owned as we know it’. The new rule, Microsoft say, is that “You can only give [your games] to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days and each game can only be given once.” And while Microsoft say this will be free for you to do so, they also stated that “Third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers.” So depending on the publisher and the game that you want to give to a friend, you could have to pay out of pocket just to lend a buddy a helping hand.
They continued to say that family members who have Xbox One consoles can access your game library from the cloud. Up to 10 of your relatives will be able to play the games you’ve downloaded, though how Microsoft would be able to verify that they are related to you and aren’t just someone that you’re friends with is unclear.
We’ll know more about the Xbox One and its features later this week as Microsoft lets us know more during its annual E3 press conference.
Source : Microsoft
Read more on walyou, Video Games Are Gonna Get A Little Bit Realer, Gamers turn to Sony over used games debate
