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Microsoft surrenders to gamers, DRM is no more

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19 June 2013

After a few hours of speculation, it’s official: Microsoft surrenders to gamers all over the world, pulling a 180° on their DRM policy for Xbox One.

Here’s the interesting updates:

  • 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.

Basically, just like PlayStation 4 and WiiU, and the last generation consoles. It’s commendable that they changed their policy due to user feedback, although clearly we have competition to thank for that - mostly, Sony with their famous E3 press conference announcement, with the crowd cheering all over. This is just the beginning of what seems like a potentially great console generation; if Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo actually do learn from each other, we can all be grateful.

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19 June 2013

After a few hours of speculation, it’s official: Microsoft surrenders to gamers all over the world, pulling a 180° on their DRM policy for Xbox One.

Here’s the interesting updates:

  • 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

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  • Peter Bilorio
    Pulling a “360″ would actually leave you in the exact same spot you were in before, no? ;-)
    • Alessio Palumbo
      Haha, that’s right - 180° is more appropriate, corrected.
  • Festano
    It was inevitable that they did this change of course. I’m curious to see how they are doing preorders now.
  • [email protected]
    So you believe then that ‘all is good’ in MS Fairyland? Not likely. At this time, they are just ‘saying’ that is what will occur. Doesn’t mean they won’t ‘re-evaluate’ and revert to their original lock-down format. No. If you have money and stress points to spare, no problem, believe in the MS Fairy. If you don’t, wait a year until after it’s released. Then you’ll know the true path MS will take with the XBOX-1.
    • Alessio Palumbo
      Nope, not at all. But it’s a small step in the right direction, although you’re correct in that they have confirmed how this change is not necessarily permanent for the foreseaable future.

      We have to remain vigilant though, that’s for sure.

  • Manuel Granados
    Even though it’s awesome news that they caved in, they initially said it was not them but the developers with the rules. Now they back away from that, meaning they already lied to us once right to our faces (not like we ever expected them to be honest or anything) so what stops them from doing so again and installing their policies in the future when you already have the console with the “again, it’s the developers not us”?
  • Festano
    Missing a version without kinect at a lower price and we are on the right track.
  • WoWed
    Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…We won’t be fooled again!
  • DJRickyV
    MS must have fired whoever on the Xbox team decided all of those restrictions on gamers were a good idea lol. Did they really think they were going to get away with selling such garbage?
  • Anon
    Technically, Micro$oft surrenders to Sony.
  • Bang Bang
    Don’t buy into this bullshit. This has nothing at all to do with gamers and everything to do with Sony. And they think this will blow over now and gamers will let their guard down. Alas…..