Microsoft surprised by 'how negative' reaction was to Xbox One DRM

4.8
Microsoft's director of product planning Albert Penello says the firm expected controversy over its original always-online Xbox One pitch, but was surprised by "how negative" the reaction was.

"If I had to go back and wish that I could rewind time and redo one thing, that would be the one thing," he told Rev3Games, admitting flaws in the firm's messaging.

"I think with time, people have understood what we were trying to do, and in fact I'm sure you've seen it with the fans. They were saying, 'God, I wish some of this stuff would come back'," he said, likely in reference to the axed Family Sharing plan that would have allowed gamers to share all their games, digital or retail, with friends.

"People got in their minds that what we were trying to do was evil or anti-customer when, in fact, we were looking at what Steam does, we were looking at what iOS is going, we were looking where the customers were going and saying 'I think we can actually give you a better all-digital experience."

"So was I surprised that people had a reaction to it? No. I mean, we knew it was going to be a controversial decision. Was I surprised how negative the reaction was going to be? Yes," said Penello.

"We were surprised at how vocal it was, we were surprised at the reaction and the assumptions that people had about what we were trying to do. So we did the famous '180'."

But Penello insists that an all-digital future is imminent. "Nobody debates there's going to be a world, whether it's this gen, or next-gen, that discs are going to go away, it's gone away in just about every medium," he said.

"I think if anything we thought it was going to happen sooner than the customer. We took a hard stance on it.

"I hope that in some point in the future some of those cool features - some of the Family Sharing, the household sharing stuff, the games are always with you - we want to bring that stuff back."

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/428147/ms-surprised-by-how-negative-reaction-was-to-xbox-one-drm/

Comments

"Microsoft surprised by 'how negative' reaction was to Xbox One DRM" :: Login/Create an Account :: 128 comments

If you would like to post a comment please signin to your account or register for an account.

TristanaPosted:

M249
Raci I'm happy that they made the changes


I think everyone will be happier now they've sorted it out


Yeah, it keeps getting better, now I may even consider buying the X One.

dmofPosted:

Raci I'm happy that they made the changes


I think everyone will be happier now they've sorted it out

dmofPosted:

I'm surprised how they are surprised they got so much negative feedback.

WokzePosted:

Pufferfish It put me off the xbox one at first but when it was removed i was happy


Yeah I was out off to, now I can buy it from the US an get it cheaper :D

WokzePosted:

It was terrible, that's why they got the reactions they did.

RaciPosted:

I'm happy that they made the changes

AstraeusPosted:

It put me off the xbox one at first but when it was removed i was happy

IlcamorristaPosted:

Cyimking The drm is actually good however they marketed in a poor way.


Didn't think of it in that prospective, hmm.

IlcamorristaPosted:

Too late now, DRM had it's flaws but they didn't mean nothing compared to positives.

sir_grecoPosted:

Kharma i dont get why he would be suprised :L


bc what they were doing was good for the customer.. and ppl hated that. damn them right?