Microsoft Backpedals on Xbox One DRM Policies

by Mike Bendel June 19, 2013 @ 2:09 pm

Xbox Presser
In response to consumer feedback, Microsoft’s announced that it is doing away with many of the DRM policies outlined for Xbox One in the past week at E3.

In a post on the official Xbox site, IEB president Don Mattrick says an internet connection will be required only during the initial set-up, rather than having to connect every 24 hours to authenticate. Additionally, Microsoft is imposing no limitations on secondhand sales. You can “trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games” just like on Xbox 360.

Apparently the scaled back approach to DRM means the sharing policies Microsoft outlined during its E3 conference are no longer valid, particularly the family plan. Sharing games with other Xbox One users will require the physical disc — and downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. So essentially, no change from Xbox 360. On the other hand, the DRM-laden approach allowed users to share games by granting game library access with up to 10 users.

Mattrick also notes that physical copies of games are region free, meaning they will play on any Xbox One console regardless of its origin. Given these policy changes, has your stance on purchasing an Xbox One changed?