Microsoft Talks Xbox One Naming, Privacy And More

CNET sits down with Microsoft's Jeff Henshaw to talk about the new Xbox One, including how long it will last, and whether the name's going to be confusing.

[Bleucrunch]

"Let me clear that up unequivocally. Xbox One will support the reselling and used game market for Xbox One games. We have not announced details about exactly how it's going to work, or how licenses are going to be exchanged. That's all coming up later in the year. What we have announced is that a used game ecosystem will be supported, so people can breathe easy. They will be able to get used games."

Why do I not feel very secure with this response from this M$ rep.

[Riderz1337]

Lol they're dancing around the question. If they aren't planning on charging a fee for playing used games they would have straight up said "we will NOT charge you a fee for playing a used game". Instead we get this PR bullshit.

[Pillsbury1]

Microsoft is trying to get away with charging you more fees on top of fees.

[darthv72]

that i dont think we are really seeing the whole picture. the slightest grumblings and people go crazy and jump to conclusions WAY to fast.

Now i buy my fair share of used games from Gamestop. And i am aware that any game that has a voucher for DLC has the potential of already been redeemed by the initial purchaser.

So when a store like GS sells a used PC game that has a license, they have to state that the person buying the used game needs to buy a license to play that game. The re-licensing of used games can be quite profitable by the publisher as they are not selling another physical copy but selling a whole other license to another person.

so lets switch gears for a moment and look at the advent of digital downloads. I know they arent the same as physical but just follow along. Any purchase made by a user is tied to that users account. its like that on XBLive, PSN, nintendo eshop as well as Steam and origin.

Now I know i can sign into any other 360 or PS3 as myself and in doing so i can dl anything i have previously purchased/dl and play it on that other unit. I can even play it with friends but the original licensed version is the one that is initially purchased on the system when i made the purchase in the first place.

So on my own ps3 and 360 resides the unlocked version that is playable by anyone else on that same system. The version I dl on another persons unit is only playable if i am the one who is signed in and sharing it with others on their unit.

I think that is how it works with steam as well. I dont use steam much anymore, i did back when Half life 2 first came out so dont be to mad at me if i am getting it wrong.

A game purchased via retail has a license key (it was like that with half life 2) and once that key is redeemed, it can only be reinstalled by the same person. I cant all of a sudden lend my copy of HL2 to a friend and he installs it and plays it using the same key. Now he could but that is where keygens come in and leads to the whole piracy thing and .....

To me, DRM has always been on the back burner for fear in how the public accepts it. Little by little though it has krept in to movies and music and games (on the PC) and the inevitable is happening with console games.

MS coming out and saying...this is what it is, a bold move if you think about it. We know sony said it will be up to the individual publishers if they want to enforce a DRM check on the games but they never said "NO" themselves. Even they know its a hot topic in the retail market and how 2nd hand private sales goes. Im sure they are loving that MS is taking all the heat for this while they themselves were trying to figure out the right way of 'maybe' (i said maybe) doing something similar.

I am just trying to keep the perspective here of what the situation is about and will other parties be involved. Game developers, stores and even the platform holders all know this has been a problem that the consumers never wanted to deal with and never wanted to accept.

There just isnt enough information to really fully understand if there is a benefit to the game companies more so than a hindrance to the consumer. On the surface it seems black and white but that is why there needs to be more disclosure from all parties involved.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

MS lies!!!

http://n4g.com/news/1262559...

then boom!!!
http://www.ign.com/articles...

[darthv72]

you do know there is a difference between XB Live Arcade and XB Indie right?

If an Indie developer wants their game to be on the "Arcade" section and NOT the "Indie" section then they have to work out a publishing deal with a bigger developer.

Sony has an "Indie" section now that is separate from the other PSN published games as well.

In that respect, both services, they have done a good job of making an Indie section for such games. The bigger the publisher, the better the chance of getting your game into the more lucrative section of the live or PS store service.

[kagon01]

They're hiding something, and probably we won't like it at all...

[Pillsbury1]

They have already confirmed that games will be tied to user accounts, no more selling used games if you like Microsoft. -_-

http://youtu.be/Y508_rXPogQ

[Eldyraen]

Personally I think they are hiding that physical copy trades are being replaced with 100% digital license transfers. It would help explain a few of the inconsistencies and confusion. In other words discs are being used more as a secondary/nondownloadable distribution system for a true license based console (technically they always were license based but lacked the digital/control possibilities to enforce it).

The "used trade system" that they are eluded to could be a complicated license transfer system that I am not sure how would operate--someone alluded to the fact it would be done through the cloud at one point. Would there be a kind of free market where consumers can decide on values for themselves and trade games independently? Or much more likely be tightly controlled by MS, publishers, etc that defines a value and is strictly policied using yet another "fake" economy?

However it is meant to work MS better nail it and it would be smarter to just allow physical lending/trading/selling as today in the long run. But I fear that isn't really what will happen no matter what they decide.

[Maddens Raiders]

"We haven't shared any of those details yet. The key thing to bear in mind is that in the coming generation, obviously retail sales are going to play a huge part in that ecosystem, and people will continue to buy shiny discs. But increasingly, content sales are going to happen online.

That's what Xbox Live and the Arcade investments on 360 have all been learning towards, and Xbox One is really going to take that to the next level. The entire content portfolio will be available as well."

Nothing that came out of Henshaw's mouth made any go*damn sense. Pure corporate speak jibberish.

[ziggurcat]

"We have not announced details about exactly how it's going to work, or how licenses are going to be exchanged."

yes you have, MS... you've already said that you're going to have to buy the game if you rent it, buy it again if you've purchased it used, or buy it if a friend lends you the disc.

"What we have announced is that a used game ecosystem will be supported, so people can breathe easy. They will be able to get used games."

again... while you can pop in a used copy of a game into your system, you're forcing people to buy it again.

stop acting like this pile of **** doesn't stink, MS.

[turnerdc]

Both Microsoft and Sony haven't given completely clear answers on used games. Times are changing and I think they will both handle used games differently to how they're handled today. Whether Xbox One and PS4 will take similar or radically different approaches though is yet to be seen.

http://www.gamespot.com/new...

""It's a massively important issue and I understand why it's one that keeps coming up and will keep coming up, because people want to know what the exact stance is," Denny said.

"In relation to points like that, of course we're mindful of what the game development community wants and what the wider industry issues are with those things. I think in good time that will become clearer," he added.

Denny did not provide a simple yes or no answer, but said Sony will do right by developers and consumers alike.

"It's not something that I feel I have any further announcement or comment to make on, other than to acknowledge with you that it's a massively important issue and of course we are going to do the right thing," he said.

Sony president of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida last week confirmed that used games will play on the PlayStation 4. However, it was not made clear if users would have full access to secondhand titles or if they would need to pay to activate the game as a second owner.

"When you purchase the disc-based games on PS4, it should work on any hardware. So that's what I'm saying," Yoshida said at the time."

[3-4-5]

Yes we can get used games...Here how:

Have to install to hdd, if you buy a used game from somebody, their physical copy is worthless, which it is anyways and they pay FULL price for a used game code to install to their HDD.

Gone are the days of finding that hidden gem for $15 and it's the last copy and it makes your day.

Gamestop will still exist and will get support from Sony + Wii U.

Microsoft really screwed the pooch on this one.

[LoveOfTheGame]

*Gamestop will still exist and will get support from Wii U.
Fixed

[rainslacker]

Generally if you have to dance around the issue, then it means it's something that we shouldn't breathe easy about. Why not just say "Yes, you can sell your used games exactly the way you can now. In fact, we'll even offer another choice to the consumer and allow them to trade or sell their games using our service".

Adding choice = good
Removing choice = bad

[ApolloTheBoss]

It's just damage control. They know exactly what they plan to do and I'm not falling for it.

[Minato-Namikaze]

Its not just damage control. Its full on damage control. They are tryna spin this so much i'm getting dizzy.

[Pillsbury1]

I've never seen such a backlash from the gaming community, ms REALLY messed up. 3rd generation curse is real my gaming friends.

[PrinceOfAnger]

really want to know why they named xbox one! hmm interesting!.

[greyhaven33]

They wont come right out and say it, but they obviously feel console gaming as the main focus is not the way to go. They have made an entertainment box that can play games, it just doesn't interest me.
Maybe they change my mind at E3 but I doubt it

[Gamer-Z]

"Let me clear that up unequivocally. Xbox One will support the reselling and used game market for Xbox One games. We have not announced details about exactly how it's going to work, or how licenses are going to be exchanged. That's all coming up later in the year."

So you are but don't want to say how, that is indeed unequivocally clear thanks clrearing that up MS. ?_?

[Ipunchbabiesforfun]

whoops

[chand17]

I really don't understand the people who are like "Its a entertainment console that can play games." The spec of the machine math ps4 in every aspect. They have more exclusives for this console then they ever had. They also are getting EA in their belt to have even more time exclusives. Its been confirmed that the Xbox One can render to a second screen using smartglass. So it can doing everything the PS4 can do but also be a beastly entertainment system. All these gamers pissing themselves because they showed the console and what it can do and not just games, that's just ridicules. The fact is this, it can play every multi-platform games with the same graphics as the Ps4. With EA and Activision giving it time and content exclusives. With more exclusives and new ips then ever before. With the addtion to the thing ti showed off witch is live tv, sweep voice control, amazingly fast ui full with cool features like a game drm and editor. And thats just all we have seen, e3 is in a few weeks im sure we will see more. Remember the ps4 event was 2hr while this one was just 1hr.

[rainslacker]

I think I found where most of the Xbox fans who want the system actually went. The comments section on the CNet article is like greenpowerz on overdrive. So many people just willing to accept whatever is just put in front of them. Sad thing.