Xbox One: You must connect to the internet to "activate" all games

[vcfan]

If you own a game, you should not have to pay a fee to play it on a friends Xbox. By requiring a code and a fee to play a game is restrictive

you don't have to pay a fee to play it at your friends house. since its tied to your xbox live account,you do something called logging in,and since the game is tied to your account,it works. now when you log out and go back home,it works on your own box too.

[FlintyV]

Why is it necessary for a console to have online-based DRM? What features does it provide the consumer? How will you be able to play your games in 10 or 15 years from now? I can still play with my brother on Goldeneye on the N64. Can Microsoft guarantee me a similar experience with the new CoD or what have you?

It's necessary to cut piracy. Microsoft is a business afterall. The video game marketplace is worlds apart from what it was in 1997.

What good is this system going to achieve for any consumer?

What good is it going to achieve? If someone doesn't like a system they're not forced to buy it.

If I want to play Half Life 2, I have to login to Steam. It's not a big deal.

The completely unattended, fully automated process of Xbox One calling up MS servers doesn't affect in the slightest. If people think that's too much of a burden then they have the choice of not purchasing it and moving along.

[Veiva]

It's necessary to cut piracy. Microsoft is a business afterall. The video game marketplace is worlds apart from what it was in 1997.

This generation is going to be no different than any other. Every console gets hacked, some faster than others. Now, once a console is hacked, the pirates can play games for free and without restrictions and the consumers are hurt. Do you think this online DRM will be any different?

I hope the PS4 doesn't follow suit. If it does, then I'll only be playing on the Wii U this generation. For all things Nintendo does wrong, at least draconian DRM is not one of them.

[FlintyV]

This generation is going to be no different than any other. Every console gets hacked, some faster than others. Now, once a console is hacked, the pirates can play games for free and without restrictions and the consumers are hurt. Do you think this online DRM will be any different?

I hope the PS4 doesn't follow suit. If it does, then I'll only be playing on the Wii U this generation. For all things Nintendo does wrong, at least draconian DRM is not one of them.

Draconian DRM? laughable.

I guess you forgot that Nintendo does use DRM, even in the Wii U and content is tied to the hardware itself. A step back in flexibility of other services.

Without restrictions? MS actively deactivates consoles which have been hacked. This is also an effort to try and turn the flow of money of used games back to the developer and publisher of the games rather than stores like Gamestop.

[Veiva]

Draconian DRM? laughable.

I guess you forgot that Nintendo does use DRM, even in the Wii U and content is tied to the hardware itself. A step back in flexibility of other services.

I don't need to access the internet to play any Wii U game I own. In fact, even with the one game I downloaded, I don't have to access the internet to launch it or, again, play it. For the games I didn't download, I can resell them, or let a friend borrow them, without any issues. I agree that their downloaded content system is rightfully silly, but I wasn't talking about that.

[soniqstylz]

People honestly expect Microsoft to cater for every tiny fringe case there is possible?

I wouldn't call the US military a tiny fringe.

[FlintyV]

I wouldn't call the US military a tiny fringe.

Of their complete market? They're miniscule.

[soniqstylz]

Of their complete market? They're miniscule.

The US has 1.2 million active duty personnel, plus another 850,000 in reserves.

MS has sold 46 million consoles in North America (including Canada and Mexico).

Considering that military personnel have friends and family that also play games (and buy games, and reside directly in MS's target market), are you sure they can afford that?

[FlintyV]

The US has 1.2 million active duty personnel, plus another 850,000 in reserves.

MS has sold 46 million consoles in North America (including Canada and Mexico).

Considering that military personnel have friends and family that also play games (and buy games, and reside directly in MS's target market), are you sure they can afford that?

Yes, it's a miniscule number like I said.

[soniqstylz]

Yes, it's a miniscule number like I said.

Possibly 10% of their largest market? (I'm extrapolating, based on 2 million US military personnel as well as each of them having one friend that might be swayed by this issue, making four million out of roughly 40 million -- I'm not taking into account any of the possible RROD sales that are rumored to be added in to MS's LTD sales, as I don't have proof or figures on that to even base it from).

Not also considering the massive international market that MS is essentially giving the finger to?

Really?

[_neutrino Veteran]

I am not sure how I feel about having to pay a small fee to play used games.

[FlintyV]

Possibly 10% of their largest market? (I'm extrapolating, based on 2 million US military personnel as well as each of them having one friend that might be swayed by this issue, making four million out of roughly 40 million -- I'm not taking into account any of the possible RROD sales that are rumored to be added in to MS's LTD sales, as I don't have proof or figures on that to even base it from).

Not also considering the massive international market that MS is essentially giving the finger to?

Really?

Not sure where you're getting the 40 million figure from as I've only read 22 million sold in the United States as of March 2011.

I think it's a little optimistic to assume every single military person will purchase an Xbox One...

How is Microsoft giving the finger to anyone?

[soniqstylz]

Not sure where you're getting the 40 million figure from as I've only read 22 million sold in the United States as of March 2011.

I think it's a little optimistic to assume every single military person will purchase an Xbox One...

How is Microsoft giving the finger to anyone?

25.4 million, and that was 2 years ago. They sold 1.4 million last December alone. They can't have sold 40 million by now?

It's not that optimistic. Enlisted personnel are right in the target market, 18 - 25. Older personnel mostly have kids who would want one. I know quite a few men in both the army and air force who always play games in down time, especially overseas.

Here's an issue -- As of April 2013, MS had 48 million XBox Live accounts (that's total online connected accounts, not XBL Gold).

That's out of 77 million shipped.

So 30 million XBox 360's are not connected to the internet.

They are giving the finger to every one of those XBox owners who cannot connect it to the internet, who still wish to play games, but will not be able to because they cannot log on once per day to "activate" the game (coming per Kotaku's interview with Phil Harrison that even single player games will require an activation once every 24 hours).