A couple of days ago, Microsoft urged us to wait until the Xbox One launches before we rush to judge it. Now though, they have changed their minds and have announced that they’re lifting their highly controversial games restrictions. The company released a press release yesterday detailing a raft of changes to the Xbox One, including how users will play, share and resell games that they purchase for the next-gen console. These changes can be summerised as:
- An Internet connection will now not be needed to play Xbox One games
- You will now be able to buy, trade, rent, lend, swop and resell your games – just like you currently can
One of the most controversial elements to the Xbox One was set to be the 24 hour playing window between internet connections. This meant that a game would not work unless you had connected to the web within the past 24 hours. Microsoft have announced that they are abolishing this rule, moving the Xbox One in line with the PS4.
Microsoft are still in danger of offering up confusion around their gaming titles though. There will be a distinction between games that you buy as a download verses games that you buy as a physical disc.
Disc based games can now be shared with friends and played on their console, which was not initially going to be permitted. However, the disc will have to be in the tray in order to be playable.
Downloaded games cannot be shared with friends, however after this round of changes you will now be able to play any downloaded games whilst offline.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to announce that there will be no regional restrictions.
In the statement, the company announced that they had heard ‘loud and clear’ what users wanted, and are keen to show that they are listening to user needs and are willing to be malleable in the way that they launch their next console. Their press releases entire focus was essentially on this, titled “your feedback matters – update on Xbox One”.
It seems to me that Microsoft have been stung most by criticism that the Xbox One may not be the gamers console. The company were proud of the original Xbox’s status as the gamers’ console, favoured by folk who take their video games seriously. The fallout of E3 positioned the PS4 as the early frontrunner to win that accolade. Stating a desire to move with the times and create a great console, Microsoft took the opportunity to thank their fans for giving early feedback.
“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.”