Microsoft Responds to Xbox One Petition to bring back DRM

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Xbox One chief product officer Marc Whitten has responded to the recent fan petition asking Microsoft to re-reverse their Xbox One policies. In an interview with IGN, Whitten lamented Microsoft’s back-and-forth messaging since May, admitting that the company still has a lot to work on when it comes to communicating with consumers.

“I think it’s pretty simple. We’ve got to just talk more, get people understanding what our system is,” Whitten told IGN. “The thing that’s really gratifying is that people are excited about the types of features that are possible, and it’s sort of shame on us that we haven’t done as good of a job as we can to make people feel like that’s where we’re headed.”

“The number one thing I want to do is I want to get the product out, because people are going to use it and obviously a lot of this is more evident, but certainly what I want to do right is now is talk more about how we thought about these features,” he continued. “How we thought about how Xbox Live works, how digital works. I see people feeling like we’ve moved away from digital, when certainly I don’t believe that’s the case. I believe we’ve added on choice for people. It was an addition of a feature onto Xbox One, not a removal of a feature. And I understand people see things like Family Sharing and they’re like, ‘Wow, I was really looking forward to that,’ which is more of an engineering reality time frame type-thing.”

As far as the petition, Whitten believes that kind of response is directly related to Microsoft’s recent ability to communicate its policies.

“What it tells me is we need to do more work to talk about what we’re doing because I think that we did something different than maybe how people are perceiving it,” he said. “When I read some of the things like that petition, from my perspective we took a lot of the feedback and, while Xbox One is built to be digital native, to have this amazing online experience, we realized people wanted some choice. They wanted what I like to call a bridge, sort of how they think about the world today using more digital stuff. What we did, we added to what the console can do by providing physical and offline modes in the console. It isn’t about moving away from what that digital vision is for the platform. It’s about adding that choice. Frankly, I think we need to just do more to let people see how the console works, what they’re going to be able to do for it. I think a lot of the things they’re wishing for are frankly there.”

“What it tells me is we need to do more work to talk about what we’re doing because I think that we did something different than maybe how people are perceiving it,” he said. “When I read some of the things like that petition, from my perspective we took a lot of the feedback and, while Xbox One is built to be digital native, to have this amazing online experience, we realized people wanted some choice. They wanted what I like to call a bridge, sort of how they think about the world today using more digital stuff. What we did, we added to what the console can do by providing physical and offline modes in the console. It isn’t about moving away from what that digital vision is for the platform. It’s about adding that choice. Frankly, I think we need to just do more to let people see how the console works, what they’re going to be able to do for it. I think a lot of the things they’re wishing for are frankly there.”

On the subject of the removed Family Sharing feature, we asked Whitten if any kind of road map is in place to restore the ability to share your digital library with family and friends.

“If it’s something that people are really excited about and want, we’re going to make sure that we find the right way to bring it back,” Whitten said. “A ‘road map’ sort of implies more like ‘on date X it’s back’ than I think exists, but we believe really strongly in how you build a great experience on Xbox One for me as an individual, but also for my family. Family Sharing is a great example of how you do that with content. I think you’re going to see us, both with examples like that and with other things, keep pushing on how that’s something great. An example is some of the stuff we’re doing with what we announced around Gold, where other people in the house get the advantages of Gold when I’m a Gold member. You’re going to see us continue to push in those areas.”

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/07/12/microsoft-shame-on-us-for-xbox-one-messaging

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"Microsoft Responds to Xbox One Petition to bring back DRM" :: Login/Create an Account :: 214 comments

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AAmbitionsIsBackPosted:

jreppt
AAmbitionsIsBack
Anticipate DRM is not the way forward if i was honest


DRM is not the way forward? So basically you're saying you want to buy a console that hasn't changed at all really? Good thing your parents are spending their money on something stupid. People don't understand that DRM is GOOOD..


How the hell is DRM good????


It's improving the console a lot!! Without it, the Xbox one is pointless. Please tell me a couple ways on how its bad and none of that 24 hr bull shit because that all i hear.

El_Oso_BlancoPosted:

AAmbitionsIsBack
Anticipate DRM is not the way forward if i was honest


DRM is not the way forward? So basically you're saying you want to buy a console that hasn't changed at all really? Good thing your parents are spending their money on something stupid. People don't understand that DRM is GOOOD..


How the hell is DRM good????

RuinsPosted:

Hue Either way I don't mind as I am not purchasing a new console!


im glad they got rid of it and i am a pc gamer

AAmbitionsIsBackPosted:

Anticipate DRM is not the way forward if i was honest


DRM is not the way forward? So basically you're saying you want to buy a console that hasn't changed at all really? Good thing your parents are spending their money on something stupid. People don't understand that DRM is GOOOD..

ZacksxDPosted:

There is a point when everyone in here needs to realize that the Xbox One is just a video game console and that's it. Jesus you guys are acting like it is your entire life and if you don't get exactly what you want it's the end of the world. I understand $500 is a lot but let Microsoft do there shit if you don't like it don't buy it. No one is forcing you into buying it. Last time I checked it was called the Microsoft Xbox One not The Cry Babies of The World Xbox One. Microsoft is there own company now stop crying sit back and relax and let Microsoft build there console....

kal45Posted:

I think at that Microsoft should give consumers the choice, right when the console is released or when you get the console and start it, you should be able to chose between the old Microsoft plan drm, 24 hour check in, etc or you can chose it to be what it is now. And if you chose the "DRM" plan you can buy games from stores and download them to your hard drive, but you have to be connected to the internet to do so., but if you chose the "OFFLINE" plan you should be able to buy the game and be able to play it offline without downloading it to the hard drive and be able to share it with your friends that chose the same option as you did. Easy Enough :)

kal45Posted:

cwc123 DRM and digital downloads don't lower prices people! Competition does! Steam has to compete with other gaming services on PC like Origin, which leads to lower competitive pricing. On Xbox One, Microsoft will have gamers trapped in their ecosystem and therefore be able to charge full price for every game! Think about it - if digital downloads really do save so much money, why is everything on XBLA overpriced?


Wait I do agree with you but if everything is all digital and there is no competition with Microsoft they could just add any price tag they want. :(

GazziPosted:

Improve Who the f*ck seriously wants this back?


anybody with a brain...

cwc123Posted:

DRM and digital downloads don't lower prices people! Competition does! Steam has to compete with other gaming services on PC like Origin, which leads to lower competitive pricing. On Xbox One, Microsoft will have gamers trapped in their ecosystem and therefore be able to charge full price for every game! Think about it - if digital downloads really do save so much money, why is everything on XBLA overpriced?

GregPosted:

In all honesty the DRM really didn't sound that bad... the only downside i could see for some people would be the no second hand games thing