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.

TreyarchedPosted:

They never saw that much negative feedback coming? I smell BS, any time something has always online DRM it gets heaps of bad feedback take sim city for example, EA pissed off a hell of a lot of fans with that.

DawPosted:

I'm surprised they didn't see this coming. Also, I would think they got used to it by now.

-CPPosted:

pyroboy926
-CP Microsoft just realized that the majority of their users are 12?


Love how ignorant you are.


You're actually the ignorant one for using a word out of context.

GeorgasmPosted:

I thought MS had gotten used to negative feedback at this point?

CokesPosted:

I'm sure everyone was surprise. It was almost a bandwagon with people just using it as an excuse to hate on Microsoft.

ViIIainPosted:

I'm surprised that they were surprised from people's reaction.

MayuriPosted:

I think that when he talks about steam and iOS he doesn't realize that they're completely different types of gamers and therefore different types of customers. So, telling us they 'thought' it would have been received much more positively is completely foolish of Microsoft.

AlbericiPosted:

I like how I seen a lot of you saying how good it was but months ago I seen the same people sayng how crappy it was. Learn the facts voice your own op stop being a follower.

III_XBOI_IIIPosted:

DavidDo0M
Zeff I wonder how they would be surprised by this, It's obvious that basically no one would like it.


Actually, now that the ignorant masses have educated themselves on exactly what Microsoft was attempting to implement, a seeming majority of gamers are now asking for the DRM to be reinstated. All too late, though. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it all.


The seeming majority of gamers are smart. What proof do I have? Well I don't. You see how that works?

DavidDo0MPosted:

Zeff I wonder how they would be surprised by this, It's obvious that basically no one would like it.


Actually, now that the ignorant masses have educated themselves on exactly what Microsoft was attempting to implement, a seeming majority of gamers are now asking for the DRM to be reinstated. All too late, though. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it all.