When the Xbox One was revealed, there were a lot of features that made gamers grab their digital torches and pitchforks. As we all know, this then led to Microsoft’s 180 on DRM and always online. However, one feature disappeared that was really quite cool – Family Sharing.

Speaking to Gamespot at PAX, Senior Directory Albert Penello explains that the future of gaming is digital; he believes that mobile and PC gaming already prove this. However, he explains that Microsoft needed to return to the disc model, while still preparing for a digital future:

People have to accept it. The Internet bandwidth caps have to support it globally. Internet infrastructure has to support it globally. So it’s going to happen, it’s just a matter of time.

We were trying to implement the ability to trade [and] loan digital games with your friends which is something that no one else was doing. I believe, in retrospect that people have calmed down and gone back and actually looked at what we said, people are starting to understand, ‘Wow, they did want actually to allow me to loan and trade’ which other digital ecosystems don’t want to do. And so, yeah, I think we need to do that. That has to be part of the experience. Right now, we’re focused on launch and we switched the program back to discs, because that’s what customers wanted

Penello goes on to say that he’d love to bring back the family sharing plan. He says that there were a lot of good ideas in the original Xbox One, but that they were ahead of their time – people just weren’t ready for them. But they will return, “when the time is right”.

I really like the idea of digital game sharing, and I think it needs to be implemented in the future. As mush as we need to have games on discs that we can share, we also need to move into an age where digital media is owned and shareable – books, movies, games. Sometimes your friends live far away and it’s hard to go and give them a disc; it would be so much better to be able to share with them digitally. I think we are going through some serious growing pains as a digital society – we will get there eventually, but it’s taking some figuring out and plenty of aches and pains along the way.

Last Updated: September 5, 2013

1.1
was reviewed on PC

44 Comments

  1. RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

    September 5, 2013 at 11:06

    Shut up Zoe, you SONY Fangirl! I have to say, I find it odd that MS are not allowing for family sharing. It would seem like something they are easily able to do, if one can ‘flip the switch’ after swearing blindly you cannot in fact do that, then Family Sharing should be a walk in the park. A very nice feature.

    Reply

    • OVG

      September 5, 2013 at 11:54

      tee hee hee hee

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    September 5, 2013 at 11:10

    People were ready for that, they just weren’t ready for all the BS you wanted to bundle it up with. But go ahead, blame your customers.

    Reply

    • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

      September 5, 2013 at 11:12

      If you ask me, this is MS saying ‘bad child, bad child! You will get a cookie, but only after you prove you are now worth it’

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        September 5, 2013 at 11:13

        A chocolate chip cookie, where “chocolate chip” is a euphemism.

        Reply

    • Umar Final Fantasy 15 Hopeful

      September 5, 2013 at 11:16

      Dude…I agree SOOOOO much…ignorance is bliss hey. Let the waves of blind X1 idiots say how the consumers took everything good away from them….na na na na na, sick of this ignorant ass PR spinning, Industry needs to grow up

      Reply

      • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

        September 5, 2013 at 11:19

        Oi. You are only allowed to agree with ME DAMMIT! Not @b3ba07f0835438e0c954c94031814a2f:disqus who lives in a box!

        Reply

        • Umar Final Fantasy 15 Hopeful

          September 5, 2013 at 11:22

          Really He was outside the box just a while ago…I mean…oh crap…sorry Trev

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 5, 2013 at 11:24

            NOOOOO…. Now he knows!

          • Umar Final Fantasy 15 Hopeful

            September 5, 2013 at 11:28

            Crap, Run Trev before he catches you…….you know how he get’s when you leave his box!

          • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

            September 5, 2013 at 11:37

            Right. You are due an upgrade after all…

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            September 5, 2013 at 11:46

            Pffft, I am free now. FREEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee

          • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

            September 5, 2013 at 11:56

            NEVA!

          • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

            September 5, 2013 at 11:32

            HE DID WHAT!!!!!!?!??????

          • TiMsTeR1033

            September 5, 2013 at 11:42

            dat be a very scawy face! *cries*

  3. Admiral Chief Awesomenaut

    September 5, 2013 at 11:19

    Second time this week Lagz talks about STDs….

    Will be wearing gloves when greeting you guys at rage..

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      September 5, 2013 at 11:34

      No glove, no love.

      Reply

  4. Umar Final Fantasy 15 Hopeful

    September 5, 2013 at 11:20

    “Wow, they did want actually to allow me to loan and trade” no duh Sherlock…of cause people wanted that but the MS dummies couldn’t comprehend that we were up in arms over all the other crap…like uhhm DRM!!!…my god these idiots still don’t get it….

    Reply

  5. Pieter Kruger

    September 5, 2013 at 11:28

    I bet they are working full power on family sharing and digital market place! I expect to see both sometime in 2014. MS had the right idea but Gamestop rallied all their employees who hijacked every possible forum and all the conformist jumped on the bandwagon! Bring it MS, millions of millions of people are willing to take the leap with you into the future!????

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      September 5, 2013 at 11:45

      The future of digitial gaming in South Africa is gonna take some time. If Telkom climbed off their high horse and made affordable internet at fast speeds then everyone would be that more happpier esp Gaming Industry. Sadly I dont see cheaper internet anytime soon. I just wish we were like Uk and U.S and pay like R100 rands worth and get uncapped fast internet. No line rental kak.

      Reply

      • RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

        September 5, 2013 at 11:58

        Agreed. @pieterkruger:disqus you have a point, the future IS digital, but that future is not as close here in SA as in other places. That makes a difference to me. I’m not going to wait to buy a new car because I know in 10 years time there will be better ones, I need a car NOW…

        Reply

  6. jGLZA

    September 5, 2013 at 11:29

    MS really didn’t need a full 180. All they needed was to allow games to be played off the disc offline and everything would have been perfect as it was.

    Reply

    • Umar Final Fantasy 15 Hopeful

      September 5, 2013 at 11:30

      Finally someone who makes sense ……..

      Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      September 5, 2013 at 11:31

      Yes. One simple little change & everyone would have been happy.

      Reply

  7. MacDoodle

    September 5, 2013 at 11:41

    I don’t trust MS and their scheme for total domination on all things computerised and online, they could release Xb1 with the most incredible everything but this consumer he say ‘No way jose’

    Reply

  8. Purple_Dragon

    September 5, 2013 at 11:42

    I personally find the idea of digital trading quite idiotic. Maybe it’s just me but how do you trade something you essentially don’t own or have your grubby hands on?

    Reply

  9. OVG

    September 5, 2013 at 11:45

    Why do I even bother clicking on the BONE news? I know Im not going to bother believing a single word that comes out of their 180 asshole.

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      September 5, 2013 at 11:45

      They trying to be better….. lol

      Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      September 5, 2013 at 11:47

      Because if you don’t you won’t be able to post “witty” comments like this!????

      Reply

      • OVG

        September 5, 2013 at 11:50

        tee hee hee

        Reply

    • Jakster

      September 5, 2013 at 11:58

      Because it brings out your inner juvenile, but then again, that’s all you ever come across as.

      Reply

      • OVG

        September 5, 2013 at 12:04

        BURN

        Reply

      • MacDoodle

        September 5, 2013 at 12:26

        Doesn’t being a gamer mean we are all in touch with our inner juvenile?

        Reply

        • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

          September 5, 2013 at 12:42

          You’re touching your inner child…? Surely there are laws against that sort of thing…. :/

          Reply

          • MacDoodle

            September 5, 2013 at 13:55

            Lol yeah DRM

  10. PS4H1P5T4

    September 5, 2013 at 11:56

    Gamers and Mac Users have no friends. Friends = online. PS4 = offline. Xbox One r suxxors, right Zoe?

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      September 5, 2013 at 12:42

      Put down the crack pipe dude…

      Reply

  11. Badger

    September 5, 2013 at 12:06

    Basically once they’ve sold enough consoles. They’re going to flip the switch back and do what they wanted to do anyway.

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      September 5, 2013 at 12:43

      Aye,

      Reply

  12. Brenz

    September 5, 2013 at 12:33

    It will come back, once we have finished counting all of our MONIES!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

  13. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    September 5, 2013 at 12:35

    And that’s why I’m not keen on a bone. If some features can be re-implemented “eventually”, what’s to stop them from implementing that stupid DRM again, or even hiding features behind a paywall, and using the fucking cloud as an excuse?

    Microsoft needs to put down the crackpipe and listen to some Judge Mathis truths! I just don’t trust the sods any more.

    Reply

    • Convinced

      September 5, 2013 at 12:48

      What stops Sony from implementing DRM checks? I like to see how you spin this one spin-doctor. The entitlement is strong with this banananananana.

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        September 5, 2013 at 13:09

        Nothing!

        But since SONY has yet to do a 180 on anything related to the PS4, logically, it would be fair to assume that they won’t. Precedent has been set with the Bone, with so many turnarounds and conflicting PR chatter, MS is actually the least trustworthy in this.

        Reply

        • Coninced

          September 5, 2013 at 13:14

          Consoles are devices that we as consumers have no control off. The PS4 is one huge 180 since the PS3. The PS3 was built on every principle that the PS4 isn’t. Look at cutesie Mark Cerney doing a Sony PR speech about how much greatness the PS4 is and then under his breath you hear him murmur how design philosophy at Sony has changed since the PS3.

          Sony and MS are as trustworthy as Google and Apple 😉

          Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also

Four out of five Capcom game sales are now digital

In an annual shareholders meeting, Capcom confirmed that digital sales had pretty much tak…