Perhaps trying to avoid another Windows 8 like debacle, Microsoft has now reversed its position on the DRM of Xbox One. Responding to huge amounts of criticism, Microsoft responded by eliminating the need to ping Xbox servers every 24 hours, removed regional restrictions, and allowed used games such as Call of Duty to be traded or sold. Perhaps realizing their potential to lose the console war if they didn’t listen to their fan base, they’ve now added at least one reason to purchase an Xbox One this year.
Two of the most popular games for consoles, Call of Duty, and Battlefield can be played on either consoles, meaning there isn’t much for system exclusive games as of yet. Aside from Halo and Forza, there’s little reason to switch to a system with high prices and inferior tech specs. It’s because of this that Microsoft has led to this decision that many people saw coming.
For me, the only thing that really bothered me was the not being able to play used games. If I bought Call of Duty Ghosts, it’s ridiculous that I couldn’t bring it to a friend’s house to play it. The pinging of Microsoft servers and the regional restrictions, while stupid, doesn’t really affect your average gamer too much.
There are still a couple things that concern me about purchasing the Xbox One, mainly the price. This could be dealt with by not bundling the Kinect with the system, but I see where Microsoft is coming from on this issue. Developers won’t bother doing cool stuff with the Kinect unless they know it will be widely adopted by users. With most people not wanting to purchase a Kinect unless it’s bundled, the quality of it will suffer.
I myself will probably stay out of the console wars altogether this year. I increasingly find myself only playing two games, Call of Duty and Forza. While I will miss Forza, Call of Duty has PC versions that I’ll be more than happy playing. I miss my good ole mouse and keyboard anyways when it comes to first person shooters.
I think Microsoft is making the right decision here. With the PS4 basically beating Xbone in all areas, they did the right thing and conceded about the DRM issues. This issue alone has caused major outrage with many of their dedicated fans, and to avoid another release failure like that of Windows 8, they’ve opted to listen to their fan base.