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Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

arstechnica.com

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Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#21

Post by baddox »

SurfScore wrote: post #11

I don't get the negative response to this. They made a mistake (admittedly being too greedy), and now they're correcting it. People didn't like the DRM, SO THEY TOOK IT OUT! Get over holding a grudge; the Xbox has a lot of very good exclusives and has always been a solid console. It just goes to show you that you can never make the internet happy.

I don't quite understand why you attribute the mistake to "being too greedy," especially since this decision is a response to public outrage and thus will likely make Microsoft more money/profit. One could just as easily attribute Microsoft's desire to satisfy angry customers to "greed."

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#22

Post by jiggy2011 »

ameen wrote: post #14

If this is true, there isn't going to be the announced "Family Share plan" or the "Disc-less" operation. Also, the fact that a few consoles might not be connected to the Internet means, MS can't really do cloud processing as it claimed (since it would lead to variable experiences of the same game). I see this as a step-backward than a step ahead. Sure there will always be a vocal minority, but rather than provide the…

if cloud processing is an essential feature of the game then it would make sense to require an internet connection to run that game. Same as how nobody complains you can't play WOW offline.

What I think people objected to was a requirement across the entire console.

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#23

Post by Negitivefrags »

SurfScore wrote: post #11

I don't get the negative response to this. They made a mistake (admittedly being too greedy), and now they're correcting it. People didn't like the DRM, SO THEY TOOK IT OUT! Get over holding a grudge; the Xbox has a lot of very good exclusives and has always been a solid console. It just goes to show you that you can never make the internet happy.

It's simple, not everyone has the same opinion.

People like myself preferred the system they designed because you didn't need to use the disk and could play a game you owned on any system that you logged in to, just like steam.

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#24

Post by jiggy2011 »

ameen wrote: post #20
wmf wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a tradeoff between discless play and used games; allowing both leads to massive piracy (in somebody's mind). It looks like MS has gone from one extreme to the other.

Used games IMHO are a menace. How many software companies give away transferable licenses? (apart from Open-source licenses) It isn't fair to the publisher/developer. I'd rather have seen a price change to facilitate more ownership rather than used games sales. EA's implementation sounded a bit practical to solve the used games market.

Before the days of Steam; most PC games were transferable.

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#25

Post by eric5544 »

ameen wrote: post #14

If this is true, there isn't going to be the announced "Family Share plan" or the "Disc-less" operation. Also, the fact that a few consoles might not be connected to the Internet means, MS can't really do cloud processing as it claimed (since it would lead to variable experiences of the same game). I see this as a step-backward than a step ahead. Sure there will always be a vocal minority, but rather than provide the…

The requirement was only that the console had to be connected to the internet once every 24 hours so I don't think that impacts their cloud efforts one way or another.

Not being able to play games without the disc in the tray is a major downside of the new policy though. Of course at least for me that means I will buy all Xbox One games digital going forward.

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#27

Post by DanBC »

ameen wrote: post #20
wmf wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a tradeoff between discless play and used games; allowing both leads to massive piracy (in somebody's mind). It looks like MS has gone from one extreme to the other.

Used games IMHO are a menace. How many software companies give away transferable licenses? (apart from Open-source licenses) It isn't fair to the publisher/developer. I'd rather have seen a price change to facilitate more ownership rather than used games sales. EA's implementation sounded a bit practical to solve the used games market.

Why should games be different to books or DVDs or CDs?

Why is it fine for me to sell a book second hand, but not to sell a game second hand?

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#28

Post by baddox »

wmf wrote: post #10
nthitz wrote: post #6

Here's a statement from MS http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update (may need a refresh or two to load) looks like they are removing the feature of being able to play a game without the disc in the tray, which pretty much was the root of all these drm issues IMO

There's a tradeoff between discless play and used games; allowing both leads to massive piracy (in somebody's mind). It looks like MS has gone from one extreme to the other.

It would be relatively trivial from a technical perspective to allow virtual game licenses to be gifted from one XBOX ID to another, or even transferred to a serial key which could then be sold/traded by individuals or third party retailers like GameStop.

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#29

Post by princess3000 »

ameen wrote: post #14

If this is true, there isn't going to be the announced "Family Share plan" or the "Disc-less" operation. Also, the fact that a few consoles might not be connected to the Internet means, MS can't really do cloud processing as it claimed (since it would lead to variable experiences of the same game). I see this as a step-backward than a step ahead. Sure there will always be a vocal minority, but rather than provide the…

I'm not super technical but I've always been skeptical of "cloud processing," especially after the Sim City debacle. Are there any scenarios where actually processing information on a server instead of on the user's home Xbox make sense, aside from things like WoW and Diablo III where you need to do the calculations on the server to make the multiplayer aspect fair?

Re: Microsoft reverses controversial game licensing policies

#30

Post by camus »

nivla wrote: post #8
resu wrote: post #7

Up next, Kinect...

Actually I am excited about the new Kinect for personal hacks. According to MS, you will be able to turn off the Kinect, if not, its nothing some tape can't fix.

I want an xbox1 cheaper therefore without a a toy i will never use. If you want to "hack" a kinect,then buy one separatly. Or at least MS should give the choice to buy a console without one ,at a lesser price.
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