Microsoft caves to anti-Xbox One pressure

[deadrats]

technically this may not be PC news, but the next gen consoles will be basically dedicated gaming pc's, so:

http://techreport.com/news/24984/microsoft-backtracks-on-xbox-one-disc-sharing-connect...on-limitations

seems Microsoft decided to back off completely on it's previous plans concerning the upcoming Xbox One, this is a major win for consumers and it's nice to see even a company as big as MS with the market share they have listening to their potential customers.

now if only they drop the price of their upcoming console by $100 to match the PS4's price point, i may just buy one of their consoles.

[jagabo]

Of course, they had to after Sony announced that the PS4 would allow used games and disc sharing. If it hadn't been for that they would have told games to go suck it up.

[jman98]

Microsoft has never been an innovator. They wait to see where the industry goes and then do what everyone else is already doing. This has severed them well in the past but it's a failing strategy now. It's forced them to try to compete in markets they don't really understand (ie. tablets and mobile phones) and their attempts to embrace new trends have been big busts recently.

The fact that they even started out with those horrible plans for the Xbox show me that they realize that their traditional revenue streams are shrinking and they are desperate to lock their victims, ahem, customers into new revenue producing streams that they will theoretically never get out of. "Let's make it impossible for people to buy used games because the only possible outcome will be that our customers will simply buy MORE games and we'll make MORE money!" Right.

[Ai Haibara]

Does the One still have that restriction where it must connect to the Internet once a day, or the system 'bricks?'

[jagabo]

Does the One still have that restriction where it must connect to the Internet once a day, or the system 'bricks?'

No. From the linked article:

After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again.

[Ai Haibara]

That was one of the limitations for playing used discs. I'm referring to one of the system's reported restrictions, itself. You supposedly have to let it connect to the Internet once a day, or the system becomes unusable. (Whether or not that's permanent, I don't know.)

[deadrats]

rumors have started to swirl that MS is strongly considering dropping the planned price down to the PS4's price point at launch time.

if things go well i may just end buying both next gen consoles.

[jman98]

That was one of the limitations for playing used discs. I'm referring to one of the system's reported restrictions, itself. You supposedly have to let it connect to the Internet once a day, or the system becomes unusable. (Whether or not that's permanent, I don't know.)

I'm not really understanding how what jagabo said isn't good enough for you, but I also have read that you do NOT need to have the box continually connected to the internet to play games, not even once a day after initial setup. You set it up once on the internet at the beginning and you are done with any need for future internet connections.

I'm not sure I'd hold my breath on a price drop as deadrats suggests, but it's possible. The Xbox does make money but it's not exactly wildly profitable and IT analysts have been predicting for the past year that Microsoft might sell the division off. Since this whole fiasco was started by a desire to increase revenues via the new Xbox, cutting the price goes against the wishes of the people who originally thought they could get away with those consumer unfriendly plans. My experience is that gamers are essentially addicts and they will pay any price to keep playing. My guess is that Microsoft can still cost $100 more than Sony and it won't hurt the sales. Gamers will draw a line in the sand on game price and how it plays, but I'm skeptical that paying $100 more for a new Xbox will hurt sales that much.

[Ai Haibara]

Because what I'm talking about has nothing to do with playing games, largely. It's something else that was reported about the system.

Whether or not it's still true, I don't know. I was just wondering if it's still there, if they removed the limitations on used/borrowed/rented games. It's one of the gripes I commonly hear about the system, on the Internet and when I visit the game stores. (Of course, the latter's usually and largely due to what people hear on the Internet, so I take it with a grain of salt.)

Edit: Okay, this does sound like a confirmation that what I was talking about is no more (and is probably what you were also referring to, jman):

Contrary to the details announced earlier this month, Microsoft has now confirmed news originally reported on Giant Bomb that Xbox One will not require an internet connection to play offline games or need to check in every 24 hours; instead, internet will only be required when initially setting up the console.
“After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again,” Microsoft wrote. “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.”

(Source: http://brickultra.com/xbox-one-changes-as-of-today/)

[jagabo]

That was one of the limitations for playing used discs.

If you can play offline games without ever reconnecting to the internet the unit is obviously not bricked.

[Ai Haibara]

I was just saying that it was something reported about the system itself, not really related to the used discs/online gaming, that's all.

[aedipuss]

knowing microsoft, the no internet needed and you can play used games may go away at any point. if a hack comes along to allow playing copied games the restrictions are likely to return.

[yoda313]

knowing microsoft, the no internet needed and you can play used games may go away at any point. if a hack comes along to allow playing copied games the restrictions are likely to return.

I don't think so.

They got so beat down with this that they caved right away.

If they go and reverse the reversal they may lose everything. Sure you'll still have a few die hards who have to have Halo and the like (like me ) but going back on something you said you wouldn't do would really rile everybody up again.

Its not saying they wouldn't introduce some restrictions in the future. But they wouldn't go back to what they started with for the Xbox One. They couldn't take the negative publicity hit.

@ jman 98 - I won't say Microsoft is an innovator in the gaming world. However they sure have done well with the Xbox and Xbox 360. To say they are completely inept is wrong.

I would say they have had the upper hand over sony with Xbox Live since its inception. That was actually innovated and still is evolving. Sony has been playing catchup ever since.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a price drop as has been mentioned.

Also there will be tiered entries with different harddrive sizes and the like.

I also would not be surprised to see a kinect free edition ship to lure people in. Even though I'm sure its the kind o f thing that "wouldn't work without a kinect" according to Microsoft the possibility of bringing in new users will make it happen.

And in the end there will be Sony and Microsoft and in third Nintendo. There is room for all 3 and it will continue to be that way for a long time since all have their entrenched fan bases. Until one of them pulls out completely we are stuck/blessed with this combo of game makers for the forseeable future.

What I don't like are the ones who are decidedly in one camp or the other and say "its gotta be this way" and the other sucks without this bit. There is still room for all three in some form.

I have dropped Nintendo from my lineup only because I don't have enough time to play three consoles worth of games. But I have a 360 and a ps3 and will at some point get a ps4 and a xbox one. They both have something to offer.