Xbox One: No Games DRM or "Always Online"


Recommended Posts

Agree to disagree.

 

HD DVD was superior in many ways compared to BR, but Microsoft were the ones who decided to pull the plug in the end. They could have continued the fight if they didn't have XBLM.

 

I'll agree to disagree, but you're missing the point. Beta was superior in many ways to VHS, but still lost. Microsoft couldn't not have continued with HD-DVD, no one was making content, it was a losing proposition. Without mass adoption the price wasn't going down.

 

Your argument that physical media has given way to digital or will anytime soon does not co-exists with the X1's Blu-ray drive. Additionally, no one will be downloading 20GB+ games en masse any time soon. 50GB for those who take advantage of the storage available.

I like that Microsoft changed their stance. But I think those of you who are angry they removed it are thinking about it all wrong. Family-sharing, fast game-switching, sans-disc gaming, and all of the other features that this DRM "allowed" can be done without a mandatory 24 hour brick-check.

 

In my opinion, this shift in policies by Microsoft did not permanently remove these cool features. It merely delayed them. And now we can look forward to Microsoft implementing them in a way that is fair to everyone. So we have to wait a little while for those features? That's fine. In the meantime, we get better digital distribution, cloud functionality, and it's gaming as usual. And I am totally fine with that.

 

To think that this change completely removed these things from the Xbone for its entire lifespan is kind of ridiculous. The 360 is completely different today than it was when it first came out. Anyone remember the blade UI or the days prior to Netflix integration? I don't see why it would be any different with the upcoming generation.

I hope/think you are right. I am willing to back the people that are calling for this, even though they wouldn't back our calls for the removal/modification of DRM, and are now blaming us for Microsofts colossal ###### up.

When will people like you understand that some people want the physical media only to install it(no need to download 20gb of data)? And it's not the fact that we can't handle switching the game disc(which is an old-fashion way of gaming), it's that fact that we need to have game discs nearby. I'm getting a strong feeling that you're single since you can't understand this. Having movies or games in the living room makes "the better half" whine about them until they're removed. Disc-less gaming, while being able to install from disc is the perfect solution.

 

And again, I'm sorry that all my family and friends don't live nearby so I could hand them the game disc. I must be stupid because I want family and friends to be able to play my games without me having to mail the disc, or even having to "accept/deny their request each time".

 

 

Nope, I'm not single. She agrees with my stance, btw. Again, I have to ask: How long do you think this "sharing" would've been supported till the publishers started whining about too many family members being able to play the games and its costing them money? They didn't even have this stuff set in stone, so for all we know, it was a bunch of empty promises. Microsoft and the gang do not have your best interest in mind, only their bottom line matters. Just because they promise something doesn't mean it'll stay that way. Going digital just makes things easier for them to lock down over time. They've had this vision of "always connected" way back in the 80's with their OS and other software.

 

Look, I'd love to have features like no disc gameplay, digital sharing, etc. but I don't want them if it means giving up the freedoms we currently have with games.

The ironic part -- you have to connect online to enable offline mode.  The lack of DRM is coming via Day One patch update.

The more ironic part? If MS had continued with the scheme and 10 years down the line they could've released a similar patch to disable 24hr check when licensing servers cease to exist. But no, that was impossible to happen.

Nope, I'm not single. She agrees with my stance, btw. Again, I have to ask: How long do you think this "sharing" would've been supported till the publishers started whining about too many family members being able to play the games and its costing them money? They didn't even have this stuff set in stone, so for all we know, it was a bunch of empty promises. Microsoft and the gang do not have your best interest in mind, only their bottom line matters. Just because they promise something doesn't mean it'll stay that way. Going digital just makes things easier for them to lock down over time. They've had this vision of "always connected" way back in the 80's with their OS and other software.

 

Look, I'd love to have features like no disc gameplay, digital sharing, etc. but I don't want them if it means giving up the freedoms we currently have with games.

 

Its all about perspective. You don't want to give up the freedoms you have with games on current consoles, and yet a huge number of people have spoken with their wallets by buying content through services, like Steam or Origin.

 

I'm not saying I agree with all the policies, but you have to admit that there are users that don't care about the 'freedoms' as you do. Many will trade the freedoms for convenience. The gaming market is diverse and companies like MS and Sony want to get as many as they can, so they try to reach across the diverse market. MS thought it could tap into the crowd that was already use to digital content policies, but they realized there are still enough of us that aren't interested in that to warrant a change in policy.

Its all about perspective. You don't want to give up the freedoms you have with games on current consoles, and yet a huge number of people have spoken with their wallets by buying content through services, like Steam or Origin.

 

I'm not saying I agree with all the policies, but you have to admit that there are users that don't care about the 'freedoms' as you do. Many will trade the freedoms for convenience. The gaming market is diverse and companies like MS and Sony want to get as many as they can, so they try to reach across the diverse market. MS thought it could tap into the crowd that was already use to digital content policies, but they realized there are still enough of us that aren't interested in that to warrant a change in policy.

 

 

 

 

No offense, but **** Steam and **** Origin. I'm growing sick of hearing about a PC gaming business model on consoles. I and probably others buy game consoles to avoid **** like that and do not want it shoved down our throats. If you like those services, use a PC for gaming.

 

Yes, I admit whole-heartedly that there are gamers that disagree and I can respect their opinion. Unfortunately for them, they appear to be the minority (this time), or failed to grab Microsoft's attention they way we did and so, they lost. We had just as much right to bitch about the proposed DRM policy as those that are now bitching about wanting it and not getting their way.

 

Again, the dreams you all may have had will come true, but it will be the generation after the PS4 and One.

No offense, but **** Steam and **** Origin. I'm growing sick of hearing about a PC gaming business model. I buy game consoles to avoid **** like that and do not want it shoved down my throat. If you like those services, use a PC for gaming.

 

Yes, I admit whole-heartedly that there are gamers that disagree and I can respect their opinion. Unfortunately for them, they appear to be the minority, or failed to grab Microsoft's attention they way we did and so, they lost. We had just as much right to bitch about the proposed DRM policy as those that are now bitching about wanting it and not getting their way.

 

Again, the dreams you all may have had will come true, but it will be the generation after the PS4 and One.

 

Goodwill seems to be spreading quickly for Microsoft after this. From gamers to Gamestop's and the used-gamed like minded retailers. Microsoft is becoming masters of getting credit for un-screwing you after they try to bend you over and try screwing you (real or perceived).

 

People all over the globe generally love 4 things, Sex, Privacy, their Personal Rights/Freedoms (real or perceived), and Second Chances\Redemption, lol. I think Microsoft would have paid dearly had they not backtracked. They definitely need to rethink how some of these things are implemented.

 

BTW, lots of "hardcore" gamers rent many, many games. They refuse to pay full price for what they deem less than AAA games. Others won't buy something without a certain metacritic. Hardcore gamers are a special breed.

I am confused here.  Where did Microsoft say that their family sharing let you give unrestricted access to 9 other people?  Do you honestly think that would ever work?  There would be a lot of restrictions with that feature.  You were never going to have the capability of letting 9 other people play your game at the same time.  You would have to fight with them saying "I want to play"..."No I do"...."No me me me".

 

What the heck happened to having a game console that is a game console?  It brings nothing to the next generation gaming?  Really?  It is a newer system.  It will have better graphics and better abilities to do amazing games.

 

So let me get this straight.  Having a 24-hour check in requirement is THE....THE ONLY next generation feature?  Without it Xbox One does not bring ANYTHING to the next generation gaming?

 

You guys really need to think about the big picture.  It is not just because 10 people online whined about this feature.  Maybe the Military requested it for their troops.  Maybe Microsoft realized we still have a very BAD internet structure.  So what if you have perfect internet.  Having this forced a lot of unnecessary point of failures that you CANNOT CONTROL.

 

What if Xbox Live is down for more than a day?  Nothing is perfect.  What about natural disasters?  What about if somebody crashes and kicks out the internet for the entire neighborhood?  You cannot control these things.  We are not ready for something like this with such poor internet still.

I am confused here.  Where did Microsoft say that their family sharing let you give unrestricted access to 9 other people?  Do you honestly think that would ever work?  There would be a lot of restrictions with that feature.  You were never going to have the capability of letting 9 other people play your game at the same time.  You would have to fight with them saying "I want to play"..."No I do"...."No me me me".

 

What the heck happened to having a game console that is a game console?  It brings nothing to the next generation gaming?  Really?  It is a newer system.  It will have better graphics and better abilities to do amazing games.

 

So let me get this straight.  Having a 24-hour check in requirement is THE....THE ONLY next generation feature?  Without it Xbox One does not bring ANYTHING to the next generation gaming?

 

You guys really need to think about the big picture.  It is not just because 10 people online whined about this feature.  Maybe the Military requested it for their troops.  Maybe Microsoft realized we still have a very BAD internet structure.  So what if you have perfect internet.  Having this forced a lot of unnecessary point of failures that you CANNOT CONTROL.

 

What if somebody takes down Xbox Live?  Nothing is perfect.  What about natural disasters?  What about if somebody crashes and kicks out the internet for the entire neighborhood?  You cannot control these things.  We are not ready for something like this with such poor internet still.

 

I think the family sharing was very next gen, even if it had restrictions it would have been new and interesting. Let me guess, you think a console with better gfx is 'next gen' right? lol, i'll take a Steam like distribution anyday. I honestly hope MS slowly adds in their digital ideas over the next few years. 

I think the family sharing was very next gen, even if it had restrictions it would have been new and interesting. Let me guess, you think a console with better gfx is 'next gen' right? lol, i'll take a Steam like distribution anyday. I honestly hope MS slowly adds in their digital ideas over the next few years. 

 

Well I am sorry, I am not lazy.  I do not mind having discs.  So you would prefer we still have the Original Xbox graphics but just these new features tacked on?

 

What do you consider next gen then?  Better hardware and the ability to bring us even better games is not next gen?  It HAS to have this DRM to be next gen?  It has to be always online for it to be next gen?  How did these changes make it not next gen?

  • Like 2

Funny, game consoles will still be using discs ~5-6 years (as I don't think this gen will be as long as the last one) as every other computing platform will be all digital based. Hilarious. Way to be ahead of the curve. I wish they just left the damn Blu-ray out. Oh wells. Just gotta hope all my digital downloads will one day be shareable with my friends. I'm just gonna have to download all of my games.

You sound like a cry baby...its just a console.. Not sure if this is a 12 year old behind the computer screen... :(

 

 

If it's "just a console" why did everyone make such a fuss over things before then?  If it's "just a console" you didn't have to buy it if you didn't like the plan they had in place originally.  Yet we get an internet rage fest instead. 

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • Stellarium 26.2 by Razvan Serea Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. It is being used in planetarium projectors. Just set your coordinates and go. Stellarium key features: Realistic simulation of the sky, sunrise and sunset Default catalogue of over 600,000 stars Downloadable additional catalogues for up to 210 million stars Catalog data for all New General Catalogue (NGC) objects Images of almost all Messier objects and the Milky Way Artistic illustrations for all 88 modern constellations More than a dozen different cultures with their constellations Solar and lunar eclipse simulation Photorealistic landscapes (more are available on the website) Scripting support with ECMAScript (a few demo scripts are included) Extendable with plug-ins: 8 plug-ins installed by default, including: artificial satellites plug-in (updated from an on-line TLE database) ocular simulation plug-in (shows how objects look like in a given ocular) Solar System editor plug-in (imports comet and asteroid data from the MPC) telescope control plug-in (Meade LX200 and Celestron NexStar compatible) The major changes of this version: Added new sky culture Added new plugin: Planes Many improvements in plugins Many improvements in Core and GUI Many updates in sky cultures. [full release notes] Download: Stellarium 26.2 (64-bit) | 456.0 MB (Open Source) View: Stellarium Home Page | Other Operating Systems | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • NASA: This asteroid may not kill us but it probably won't be far off either by Sayan Sen Image by Zelch Csaba via Pexels New observations by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have eliminated the last remaining impact threat posed by asteroid 2024 YR4, ruling out the possibility that the near-Earth object could strike the Moon in December 2032. NASA said observations collected by Webb on February 18 and 26, 2026, enabled scientists to refine the asteroid's orbit enough to "rule out a chance of lunar impact on Dec. 22, 2032." Instead, asteroid 2024 YR4 is now expected to pass the Moon at a distance of about 13,200 miles (21,200 km). The agency stressed that the update "reflects improved precision in our understanding of where the asteroid is expected to be in 2032 rather than a shift in its orbital path." The announcement closes a remarkable chapter in planetary defence that began in late 2024, when the approximately 60-metre-wide asteroid briefly became the most closely watched near-Earth object in the world. Discovered on December 27, 2024, by the ATLAS telescope in Chile, 2024 YR4 initially appeared to have a small chance of colliding with Earth on December 22, 2032. As astronomers gathered more observations, the impact probability briefly climbed to around 3%—the highest ever recorded for an asteroid of its size—before steadily falling as its orbit became better understood. By early 2025, international observations had ruled out any significant risk to Earth. However, astronomers were left with another possibility: a roughly 4% chance that the asteroid could instead strike the Moon. "The probability that asteroid 2024 YR4 will strike the Moon on 22 December 2032 is now approximately 4%," the European Space Agency (ESA) had said last year, noting that "there is a 96% chance that the asteroid will not impact the Moon." ESA said such an impact, while unlikely, would have presented an extraordinary scientific opportunity. "It is a very rare event for an asteroid this large to impact the Moon – and it is rarer still that we know about it in advance. The impact would likely be visible from Earth, and so scientists will be very excited by the prospect of observing and analysing it," said Richard Moissl, Head of ESA's Planetary Defence Office. "It would certainly leave a new crater on the surface. However, we wouldn't be able to accurately predict in advance how much material would be thrown into space, or whether any would reach Earth," he added. The asteroid also exposed an important blind spot in planetary defence. Because 2024 YR4 approached Earth from the direction of the Sun, it remained hidden from ground-based telescopes until after its closest approach. "We looked into how Neomir would have performed in this situation, and the simulations surprised even us," Moissl said. "Neomir would have detected asteroid 2024 YR4 about a month earlier than ground-based telescopes did. This would have given astronomers more time to study the asteroid's trajectory and allowed them to much sooner rule out any chance of Earth impact in 2032." He added, "As an infrared telescope, like Webb, Neomir would have also immediately given us a much better estimate for the asteroid's size, which is very important for assessing the significance of the hazard." The latest NASA observations underscore the value of space-based infrared telescopes in tracking faint asteroids. According to NASA, Webb made "among the faintest ever observations of an asteroid," extending the object's observational record by nearly eight months at a time when it had become too faint for other telescopes. That additional data allowed scientists to eliminate the remaining uncertainty surrounding its 2032 flyby. Although asteroid 2024 YR4 is now confirmed to pose no threat to either Earth or the Moon, scientists say its discovery remains one of the most significant real-world tests of the international planetary defence system, demonstrating how continued observations can rapidly transform an object once considered hazardous into one whose future path is known with high confidence. Source: NASA, ESA This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, this material is used for the purpose of news reporting. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
    • Yup. Google is just scraping the entire internet for their own ad profits without sharing revenue with the sources. It's obviously stealing, but since these sites depend upon Google's search scraps to survive... As for me, I just stopped using Google for anything except Reddit searches. If Reddit's own search wasn't complete crapola, I'd never use Google search again.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Conversation Starter
      Admir earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      The_Focal_Point earned a badge
      First Post
    • Apprentice
      daryld went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Contributor
      Carltonbar went up a rank
      Contributor
    • One Month Later
      The_Focal_Point earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      418
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      170
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      130
    4. 4
      Xenon
      69
    5. 5
      neufuse
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!