OT: Microsoft Crumbles Under Consumer Pressure - Major Changes to Xbox One Policies

Submitted by boliver46 on

Microsoft decided to reverse field on two of their most controversial policies regarding the Xbox One.  No longer will we be required to have an internet connection that connects every 24 hours.  Nor will we have to follow a confusing bureaucratic red taoe mess for used games.

The people have spoken!!!

Microsoft Bowing to Pressure

Will this make you more likely to buy the Xbox One?  Many people seemed to flock to PS4 in the wake of Microsoft's draconian policies...does this bring you back?

 

***EDIT - Adding Information regarding Spec comparisons to show differences between the consoles***

Link

ijohnb

June 20th, 2013 at 10:10 AM ^

they can tell me anything that I will get from it in addition to what I already get from the extremely elaborate X-Box 360 set up I have right now than I will consider it.  I don't think they can.

In reply to by ijohnb

Michigan Shirt

June 20th, 2013 at 10:21 AM ^

They basically said that it will now operate just like an elaborate X-Box 360 so you should be safe there. The main addition being that the Kinect will always stay on (not recording or uploading video) so that you can walk in to your living room when you get home from work and it will turn on if you ask it to. I do wish the Kinect was not mandatory though as that is what is driving the cost to be $100 more than the PS4, but this change should keep it working very much like your current X-Box 360. Still not sure which system to get at this point though, they both look to be offering very nice exclusives.

Rico616

June 20th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^

From what I've read the keeping the Kinext camera on at all times is so you can say "turn on xbox" and it'll turn your console via voice activation however I read that you have the ability to disable this option. Which is good cause I'd rather have it off and just walk and turn my console on. Plus you can turn the console on thorugh your controller anyways.

Michigan Shirt

June 20th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^

Yeah I agree with you that I hope we can turn the voice activated feature off. The only way this will stay on at my house is if they the voice recognition is greatly improved along with the tracking (which I do believe is). I spent so much time trying to play Skyrim with Kinect and yelling at my TV trying to get it understand me that looked I like a crazy person, just gave up eventually.

If only Carr w…

June 20th, 2013 at 3:25 PM ^

With the new kinect... I'm home playing Battlefield 4. I'm super into this 500 ticket match. Things are very intense.. My drunk friends are coming in the living room from the bar.. "XBOX OFF" My night ruined... Ps4 all the way. Also, The last of us is the best game I have ever played and I highly reccomend it.

We Are The Borg

June 20th, 2013 at 10:20 AM ^

I saw this news yesterday and was ecstatic. I'm sure they heard enough negative feedback and threats from loyal XBOX users to switch to Sony. The used game thing was what really pissed me off, as I only buy three franchises new, those being Halo, Call of Duty, and Assassin's Creed. Most other games I don't buy until I find a used copy on Amazon for $20 or less. Most games are not worth $30 or more.

Purkinje

June 20th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^

Actually, the PS controller is based off of the Super Nintendo controller. When N64 released with the first analogue stick, Sony opted to add two to its own controller, producing the symmetrical and uncomfortable design that has persisted since the 90s.

/gamenerded

Michigan Shirt

June 20th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^

When was the last time you have touched an XBox controller, 2005? The gun triggers on the XBox controller are infinitely easier to use since the 360 came out with them. I do own both systems and play both semi frequently, the XBox controller is leaps and bounds more comfortable than the PS controller.

We Are The Borg

June 20th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^

Yup. I don't know how the triggers are now on a PS controller, but I recall a controller (may have been a PS2) from Sony that had the four shoulder buttons. The two bottom shoulder buttons were not even triggers, just four shoulder buttons, which made it way too confusing. Sony just does not have good controllers.

Michigan_Mike

June 20th, 2013 at 10:25 AM ^

If anyone is gullible enough to buy an Xbox One thinking there will be no DRM then they deserve it when Microsoft puts it back in six months after release via firmware update.

xxxxNateDaGreat

June 20th, 2013 at 10:54 AM ^

That isn't going to happen. Microsoft may be arrogant and occasionally oblivious, but they aren't suicidal and pulling that stunt you are claiming would effectively kill the entire company. No one would be able to trust the Microsoft brand again.

Besides, Microsoft made most of its "console" money off of Live subscriptions, especially early on. Companies sell consoles at a loss until WAY late in the cycle, so if Microsoft pulled this stunt at 6 mo in, they would have to eat tens of million in losses as everyone flocks to GameStop to trade in for a PS4.

Michigan Shirt

June 20th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^

I highly doubt this will be a feature that Microsoft itself will ever implement, in fact they actually said they are having to turn off features, such as sharing downloaded games with friends when you dont have an actual disk. Now DRM has been around for a few years anyways with publishers using a code for all online features that you have to pay $10-15 for used, so it is neither a new thing or something that only Microsoft has had to deal with, Sony has the same issue.

Ball Hawk

June 20th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^

I had the playstation 2 and loved it. My kids got the Xbox 360 and I liked the system but hated the controllers. I think once your used to something, its hard to adapt to something different. As for me, im going with the PS4.

M_Jason_M

June 20th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^

Did this Borg guy do something to piss everyone off at some point or is there just an unusual number of people that don't like his pretty standard comments? Am I missing something or is there a reason he's being negged every time he posts?

gwkrlghl

June 20th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^

should be very gratefully to people making them 'crumble' under pressure because these fixes will probably save the console. Otherwise PS4 probably would've dominated the xbox one and all those higher-ups would be looking for new jobs

goneblue32

June 20th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^

I might get the xbox one now. I've owned PS3 and Xbox 360 and like them both. I think I will wait and see what games microsoft offers that sony doesn't, and vise versa.

FreddieMercuryHayes

June 20th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^

The hubris of Microsoft in this whole issue and their draconian rules will ensure I will not buy an Xbox One. I'm glad they reversed the decision, but voting with my wallet is the only way I can voice my displeasure at them thinking they could get away with it in the first place. Especially after they so vigorously defended it after the immediate backlash.

elaydin

June 20th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^

So instead you'll give your money to the company that tried to sneak in DRM software on a music CD, took away features with software updates on the PS3 and then was bright enough to put my credit card info and password in an unencrypted clear text file and if that wasn't enough, was stupid enough to have that file hacked.

All that stupidity and all I got out of it was one free game.

Yea... let's go with those guys.