Microsoft has been in massive clean up mode since the first unveiling of its next generation console, XBOX One. In the biggest turn of events, the company has reversed its DRM policies for the upcoming console.
Following outrage from all corners of the Internet, the company issued a press release on June 19 explaining its new changes to their DRM policies and the design of the hardware. Chief among them, you will no longer need a 24-hour Internet connection to play games offline nor will you need daily internet check-ins and there are no longer limitations to using, buying, trading and sharing your games.From the company’s press release:
“you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360…[games] will work just as it does today on Xbox 360”
So, it sounds like Microsoft is getting the message and is listening more to the fans and gamers. As we noted before, it looked as if this Xbox One would be moving as far away from gaming as possible, but now they appear to be focusing on their key demographic.
The whole blowback has been fascinating, if not completely enthralling. On one hand, it was hilarious to watch Xbox have to explain themselves and do better PR, which was followed by failure after failure. At the same time, it was also strange to see gamers not only coming to support used games, but also it’s biggest buyers and distributers of the used game market, GameStop, which is generally reviled by the gaming community. Then again, FDR had to make friends with Joe Stalin, so stranger bedfellows have happened.
While this may be the best thing the company can do its gamers right now an obvious question remains. How long will Microsoft hold on to this new DRM policy, before it reverts to the older and planned policies?
The plan to move away from discs and brick and mortar stores to online and digital sales for the XBOX One seems to be a bit of a wrench. And like a sophomore on the night of senior prom, they were a bit premature in that whole future of gaming thing.
Still, it seems that these are policies that are crucial to the XBOX One and the future of Microsoft. So we can be happy that now the policies currently involving DRM, from sharing with only a handful of people to used games, are on hold. But, it seems like these policies are something they want to and need to implement. It might become a back and forth from the company and its audience as to when and how much they will implement the changes.
Source:XBOX Wire