When Microsoft first announced its Xbox One, the console was a DRM nightmare. The thing would required a persistent internet connection , and would phone home to Microsoft every 24 hours to make sure your digital game licences were valid. One of the benefits of this cumbersome DRM was that it would enable Xbox one users to share their digital libraries. The entire idea was hailed as idiotic..right until Steam announced something similar. The axed feature could make a return.
“We looked at the digital features that we had talked about last year and as a gamer, there were a lot of those features that I think really resonated and were smart features for people who really have a lot of games and maybe play on a couple consoles or have bunch of people in the house or want to share with friends,” Spencer said in a GamerTag Radio podcast. “As I look at our monthly update roadmap, those kind of features are in our roadmap. There is a little bit of a challenge now that you’ve got DRM on a disc.”
“I haven’t given up on those ideas,” he added. “There’s some complexity now that you’ve got these discs that have DRM that you’ve got to figure out. But it’s definitely part of our [roadmap] with the overall product.”
How would they implement this feature now? The interviewer suggested implementing it for digital purchases only as one way to get around the problem of people swapping discs, but Spencer said that doing it that way wouldn’t work either, as there shouldn’t be any sort of disparity between the digital and disc versions.
“That’s not an excuse for not doing it,” Spencer admitted, adding that if this feature is ever implemented, it will be done “in the right way.”
Last Updated: June 27, 2014
oVg FX
June 27, 2014 at 12:06
Oh no its not. Oh yes it is. Its behind you. No it is not. Yes it is. It is behind you. Where? over there. Or over here? Its behind you. Oh no its not.
Thats what I think of every time Microsoft speak. A pantomime.
Eric
June 27, 2014 at 13:18
Glados? Is that you?
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 27, 2014 at 12:07
“The entire idea was hailed as idiotic..right until Steam announced something similar.”
Rince&Shitity
June 27, 2014 at 12:21
HAHAHAHA I thought steam was the shizzle 😉
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 27, 2014 at 12:32
It is. Above is a response to his troll comment.
Hammersteyn
June 27, 2014 at 12:07
They should implement it as soon as possible, best feature ever!
oVg FX
June 27, 2014 at 12:08
Then remove it. Because thats what 180s do.
Hammersteyn
June 27, 2014 at 12:09
“there shouldn’t be any sort of disparity between the digital and disc versions” You know why? Because they don’t want you selling the games to your buddy or trading it in at BT.
Sure they want you to share but only the way they allow you to sahre.
Sk3tz0
June 27, 2014 at 16:34
I wouldnt wanna trade my games in at BT.. they rip u off..
Hammersteyn
June 27, 2014 at 17:26
Yeah but it’s sure is less hassle than finding a buyer, posting the game plus mailing it. BT games does give you extra on trade ins when you pick up a preorder so there’s that
Sk3tz0
June 27, 2014 at 17:30
Shop here in Cpt.. dude has great deals for trade ins
Rince&Shitity
June 27, 2014 at 12:21
Wowza.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
June 27, 2014 at 12:22
Heh. You said tit:
Sk3tz0
June 27, 2014 at 16:33
Dam Kids and their new recreational drugs.. First they were doing tik.. now they doing tit.. wat next..
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
June 27, 2014 at 12:25
Who said game sharing was idiotic? No one said game sharing was idiotic.
We said it was idiotic to make the entire system need a 24hour check-in if it’s not a feature you are going to use.
The solution:
Situation a: You want to share.
To share you need to validate your copy every 24 hours by having your XBone phone home to verify your purchase as legal. If you don’t connect in 24 hours then the sharing dissapears until next time you do connect and it can validate. At which point the sharing becomes active again.
Situation b: you don’t need to share. You don’t need to connect to the internet. You carry on with your life and play happy games.
Jonah Cash
June 27, 2014 at 12:26
The Xbox one on the inside…..
On their road map I see quite a few 180’s on earlier 180’s to get back to the DRM they had when they launched the BONE…
Rince&Shitity
June 27, 2014 at 12:29
I couldn’t agree more. Boil the frog slowly they say.
Jonah Cash
June 27, 2014 at 12:31
Exactly, they start with something that could be cool. Not really necessary but there will be people who would want it and use it. And then something that is a bit more contentious and then one morning they flip your Bone and it becomes a brick without the internet!!
Rince&Shitity
June 27, 2014 at 12:28
Chevron 180 open… http://www.gif-picture.com/S/starwars/gif-pict-starwars-4.gif
Hammersteyn
June 27, 2014 at 18:20
Oh no The XBOX One is coming through
Paul Josephson
October 3, 2014 at 21:35
Disparity? There is always going to be a disparity. Spencer truly has no plans of bringing back sharing. Unless Sony does it, then of course they will.
In truth, if there should not be a disparity between discs and digital, as Spencer claims, then they should also allow you to sell your digital games. But, they aren’t going to do that so the disparity argument is bull. It should be buy digital share digitally. Buy a disc share the disc..