June 19, 2013 by Paul Curtin
No, Microsoft hasn’t announced yet another new console… but it does look like Microsoft is pulling a 180 and will be going back on everything they’ve said about the Xbox One’s user limiting features since its debut announcement last month.
After getting killed by gamers on the internet ever since its reveal and E3 (which didn’t make things any better), Microsoft has officially confirmed today that they’ll be following Sony and won’t be doing everything in their power to restrict used games and other features on the Xbox One. Microsoft officially announced the following changes to Xbox One today regarding 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.
So good news for gamers, we won! Now, if only Microsoft dropped the price $100 to match the PlayStation 4, then the console wars would really start heating up. It will be interesting to see how the Xbox One does now that Microsoft has given up their stance on DRM. Clearly they don’t want all this negative press surrounding the console’s release this November, but it might be a little too late with Sony already stealing E3 and gamers no longer trusting the direction Microsoft is trying to take the video game industry.
