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Microsoft Says 'They're Listening' to Xbox One DRM Concerns, While Sony Make Jokes

Posted by: , 17:55 AEST, Sat June 1, 2013

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Sony make DRM jokes at Microsoft's expense, while Xbox's Major Nelson says Microsoft will listen to gamer's concerns about the Xbox One's online DRM system and restrictions on used game sales
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Image/Photo Credit: Microsoft

The DRM backlash against the Xbox One does not seem to be abating, but for the first time, Microsoft has acknowledged the gaming community's anger at the Xbox One's DRM and used game scheme.

Under the Xbox One's new licensing scheme, all games would be tied to a single Xbox Live account and would require online based authentication every 24 hours, and the resale of used games will have to be subject to a new scheme that Microsoft has yet to reveal. In exchange, gamers will no longer need to use the disc the game comes on after the initial installation process.

This is in contrast to existing to the way console games works, with the disc itself being used for authentication, and the sale of used games largely unrestricted.

The change has angered the gaming community, and they took to Twitter to not only berate Microsoft, but also to caution Sony against using a similar type of DRM for their PS4 console, using the #PS4NoDRM and #PS4USEDGAMES hashtags.

Sony has taken advantage of the Microsoft PR disaster by poking fun at DRM, while at the same time reassuring PlayStation fans that they are being heard. A senior Sony executive posted in a tweet that "we are going to have 'DRM' on PlayStation Vita", only to later reveal that DRM stood for an upcoming game, Death Ray Manta.

SCEA producer Nick Accordino was more serious when he posted that "Please know that we hear you" in response to the PS4 anti-DRM scheme.

With Microsoft on the back foot ahead of their crucial E3 Xbox One launch in less than two week's time, it took Xbox's Major Nelson (aka Larry Hryb) to attempt to calm the situation down. "We're fully aware of what is going on. I am also working on a few things to address it. I can't say much more right now. But we ARE listening," posted Hryb.

Hryb previously stated that the "Xbox One is designed to support the trade in and resale of games", but could not provide any more detail beyond this statement. Microsoft is expected to provide more details at E3.

In a related story, gaming publisher Electronics Arts have officially abandoned online passes for their older Xbox 360 and PS3 games. Online passes were introduced to control the same of second hand games, with second hand games requiring an unique purchasable code if they were to be used online.


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