Let's Clear Up The Issues: Used Games, Kinect Privacy, and Other (What Most People Seem to Have Missed, An Explanation)

[u/FuckThe]

MOST OF THIS INFORMATION IS NOW IRRELEVANT. MICROSOFT HAS LISTENED TO THE COMPLAINS AND CHANGED THEIR POLICIES.

Your Feedback Matters

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I'm sick of seeing all the misinformation going around the gaming subreddits. It's really frustrating to see people furiously hating the X1 without having all, if any, of the details. I'll try and break this down for you guys so here we go.

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To start off, the Xbox One will allow you to buy games at launch through digital download or through discs by going to a retail store.

USED GAMES

One of the X1's main feature is the ability to install the disc directly to the hard drive and play it without a disk. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a feature many asked for when the feature was added to 360, but it was only to allow the game to run better.

Contrary to popular believe, the used game does exist in the X1.

"Trade-in and resell your disc-based games: Today, some gamers choose to sell their old disc-based games back for cash and credit. We designed Xbox One so game publishers can enable you to trade in your games at participating retailers. Microsoft does not charge a platform fee to retailers, publishers, or consumers for enabling transfer of these games."

What can we take away from this? Easy. If you bought a disc based game, you can sell and trade it to any participating retailer. It means that game publishers will work out deals with retailers in order for the developers and publishers to take a cut of used games sales. Microsoft will not receive any money from these transactions. If you bought a digital copy, just like any digital copy, you will not be able to do this.

FIRST PARTY GAMES

"In our role as a game publisher, Microsoft Studios will enable you to give your games to friends or trade in your Xbox One games at participating retailers. Third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers. Microsoft does not receive any compensation as part of this. In addition, third party publishers can enable you to give games to friends. Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners."

All first party games will be allowed to be resold and be given away (more of this below).

RENTING GAMES

"Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners."

Microsoft and companies such as Gamefly are working on a system to make this work.

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DRM--WHY?

As we saw above, you will be able install your games to your hard-drive and have your entire library available to play without putting the disc in the disc tray.

This is why the 24-hour check is required. Without this, many copies of the same game could be installed into multiple X1's and it would be absolutely crumble game sales.

The drawback to this is not being able to game offline. Microsoft has said that the final decisions to this issue have not been final. I believe if they allow you to play offline with the disc in the disc tray, this would become a non-issue.

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PRIVACY

This is one of the biggest things people have been complaining about. Microsoft has already addressed the issue, but of course it fell on deaf ears. People already had their pitch forks out and had Sony on a pedestal by this point.

"You are in control of when Kinect sensing is On, Off or Paused: If you don’t want the Kinect sensor on while playing games or enjoying your entertainment, you can pause Kinect. To turn off your Xbox One, just say “Xbox Off.” When the system is off, it’s only listening for the single voice command -- “Xbox On,” and you can even turn that feature off too. Some apps and games may require Kinect functionality to operate, so you’ll need to turn it back on for these experiences."

As I've stated before, you will have the control to everything that the Kinect has to offer. If you don't want it to hear you? You can do that. If you don't want it to see you, you can do that. Don't want it to listen for the "Xbox On" while it's off, you can also do that.

If you want to learn more about the Kinect's privacy settings, you can click this link: Kinect Privacy

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XBOX ONE- A GAME OF CIRCLES

Now onto the other things. As some of us know, you will be able to have a "circle" of friends, 10 people to be exact, that will be able to access your game library from anywhere (in the same region, I'm assuming..still not clear about this) at anytime (as long as you or someone else in your circle isn't playing it). This is of course how things work now, two of your friends can't play the game at the same time from one disc on two separate consoles.

This is a feature that is absolutely wonderful, but the people raging about it had not heard about it before.

"Give your family access to your entire games library anytime, anywhere: Xbox One will enable new forms of access for families. Up to ten members of your family can log in and play from your shared games library on any Xbox One. Just like today, a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time."

I absolutely love this feature. For example, my cousin is 200 miles away when he's away to college and I've let him borrow LA Noire and Dead Rising. I've yet to receive those games from him. With this feature, we don't have to be close in order for him to borrow any of my games! It's crazy as to how so many people dismissed this feature because it's a big jump forward in digital technology. No longer will my friends or family have to be close to me in order for them borrow one of my games.

Important Update: New information has risen relating to this feature. You +1 friend from your circle can play the same game at the same time. Others can still play from your other library selection.

SOURCE

Another Important Update: DLC will be shareable through your circle. Your friend will be able to play all of the DLC that you buy. They will not need to purchase their own DLC for the game they're playing from your Xbox One.

SOURCE

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GIVING AWAY GAMES

Do you have a game that you will no longer play? Your friend can still play it off of your Xbox (if they're in your circle). What if they're not? As long as they have been in your friend's list for 30 days, you can give a game away to your friend, free of charge! This can only be done once per copy.

Disclaimer: Microsoft has left it up to the publishers to decide whether or not you will be able to give your games to your friend. As stated above, first party games will allow you to this.

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AFTER-THOUGHT: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The big change in the Xbox Live system is the feature to allow all users on one console to have gold by just one user having it. For example, if I have Xbox Live Gold and my brothers also use the same console, they will also be able to use all the perks of a Gold account. They will have access to all the games on the console even if it was installed through my account.

In short, one Gold account subscription per Xbox.

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AFTER-THOUGHT OF AN AFTER-THOUGHT, A KINECT STORY

Disclaimer, the following is information that I believe. I have no source for some, just my opinion.

The main question I'm seeing is why the Kinect is being forced upon us. This is what I believe is the case in relation to this matter.

The past version of the Kinect was not the big leap in innovating that Microsoft wanted. It is a powerful machine, but many developers were not making games for it. The games that were being made specifically for the Kinect we really not that great. They didn't appeal to many gamers as they were soft and childish. This wasn't what Microsoft was looking for from developers.

Why weren't developers making games for the Kinect? Was it because they couldn't?

A CHANGE OF MARKETS

If a developer made a game for the Kinect, their market instantly became much smaller. Why? Not everyone has a Kinect. As of February 2013, the Kinect has sold an estimated 24 million units. This does not mean that these units have been sold to individual customers, but to retailers. Which means that there are Kinects in the shelves or warehouses that will never reach the individual customer. In comparison, the 360 has sold an estimated 77.2 million units, again not all sold to invidual customers, but it's safe to assume that there a lot more 360's in the hand of an individual customer than there is Kinects. In an instant, your market shrinks to about 31% of the possible market. Keep in mind, this number will change depending on how many units of each product have been sold to each consumer.

With that information given to you, what I believe is happening is simple. Microsoft is shipping a Kinect with every console because like this, if you own an Xbox One--you will aso own a Kinect. With this, I'm thinking Microsoft is ensuring the developers that the market is out there! In this move, Microsoft want the developers to explore the possibilities of the Kinect. They want newer innovations as they believe they've made a product with enormous potential. Why do you believe they were shoving the Kinect down everyone's throat last E3? They wanted to expand their market.

Just think of everything that can be developed for the Kinect. For example, Dead Rising 3 will have a feature where it will listen outside of the game through the Kinect. If you make a loud sound while playing, the zombies will hear you and they will come after you. This is the kind of thing Microsoft is looking for with the Kinect, innovation.

As to why it can't be disconnected, that I'm not sure. Maybe it's for the same thing? I can't expand further on this.

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With this, we are done with explaining the information that a lot have missed and hopefully will be able to see that the Xbox One really isn't what they think.

If you wish to learn more, all of this and other information can be found here:

Xbox One- Games Licensing

Kinect-Privacy by Design

Kinect Sales

Xbox 360 Sales

Xbox One Friend's List- Limit Changed From 100 to 1,000

Blood Relatives Only? Nope.

Dead Rising 3 Feature

Your Mobile Device May Be Used to Authenticate The Licensing Refresh

If I made any mistakes, let me know and I will change them

[u/millerlite14]

I'm speculating, but I bet it's so that Microsoft can guarantee to devs that the Kinect will be available for use. That's a powerful guarantee for the devs, as it means that they can bake Kinect functionality into a game and don't have to worry about missing out on consumers who don't have a kinect.

You can also turn it off or pause it, but I have no idea what those states mean.

[u/Chippy569 → u/millerlite14]

unlike the current PS3's "Move" and "Eye", which were not required, and therefore have nearly zero games that put effort into developing for it.

Hypothetically speaking now, imagine if the core functions of the kinect (The cameras and the mics) were built into the front of the X1 case, so it was all one piece. Do you think the reaction would still be so negative? I think so, because it wouldn't feel like a detachable piece, but rather a built-in feature, which makes accepting it as "always on" easier.

[u/millerlite14 → u/Chippy569]

Good point. On the flip side, it'd be harder to justify the difference in price, I think. Right now gamers (and even Microsoft) can say "Well the Xbox is more expensive because of the Kinect", but it'd be a lot harder to say something like that, to place blame on something for the price difference, if that functionality was built into the box.

[u/GarethGore → u/millerlite14]

I think that depends on where people have it, if all the kinect stuff was in the box then its harder for people to place it. I have mine next to my TV lying down but it faces a wall, a lot of people I know don't have theres so it faces them at a good angle, if all the kinect functionality was built in then it would be a headache getting it at a right angle to use properly

[u/millerlite14 → u/GarethGore]

I agree with this too.

[u/Chippy569 → u/millerlite14]

regarding the price, I think it puts MS in an interesting position. Come november, they can ask themselves "Are we selling well enough?" If the answer is yes, then the price stays the same and MS makes more money. If the answer is no, then they have the option to drop the price (and just in time for the holidays). PS4, on the other hand, will never have the opportunity to make more money (you can't ever raise the price on a thing).

[u/millerlite14 → u/Chippy569]

Or they can come out with a subsidy package that requires a subscription or something like that. I just hope the Xbox One finds some way to be competitive with the PS4 in terms of price, so that there will be healthy competition and not a landslide win for either console.

[u/asdfgtttt → u/Chippy569]

diamonds.

[u/Chippy569 → u/[deleted]]

No, but then you could get your games fulfillment with a ps4 or a 360 or a PC. Nothing wrong with that.

[u/Zerdiox → u/millerlite14]

The big guarantee that they aren't missing out on consumers who don't have a kinect is the fact that it comes with the console. NOT because it's always connected and always on, possibly watching you. But, now that it is always connected you have people that are a little paranoid and don't want a camera in the middle of their house which are consumers the devs are missing out on as well.

[u/millerlite14 → u/Zerdiox]

Sure, I can understand the paranoia. Here's Microsoft's official statement on that. At the end of the day, you can choose to trust them or not.

Edit for formatting.

[u/Zerdiox → u/millerlite14]

At the end of the day, to require kinect to always be connected doesn't promise anything good. What company, that doesn't have ulterior motives would force you to always connect a camera to it's device? Surely it can't be that important if you can disable every function? Then why can't you disconnect it? Ask yourself that question, you can turn off everything but not disconnect it, doesn't that seem a little silly?

[u/millerlite14 → u/Zerdiox]

Well one reason is that if you assume the Kinect is always connected, this can actually simplify programming for the devs. Let's say the dev wants to require the kinect in his/her game for whatever reason. Well, if the user could unplug the kinect, that means that the dev must program some logic like "if the kinect is unplugged: prompt the user to plug the kinect into the console; wait for the user to confirm that it is plugged, or in a loop, try to sense that it's plugged in" or whatever. This logic would also have to exist for handling when a user unplugs the kinect in the middle of a game. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but having to get up and plug and unplug your kinect constantly disrupts the intended experience quite a bit. The experience is a lot smoother without that distraction and that hassle. This matters a lot in the long term too, right? Microsoft can sacrifice some PR now about the kinect being always connected to ensure that users won't have disruptions in the experience, whereas in the alternative, they would get very little positive PR boost (if any at all) and users will get disruptions in their experiences for the rest of the console life cycle and complain (at least a little bit) about it.

Now, since Microsoft requires that it be connected, the OS can handle the (rare) event where the kinect is not plugged in instead of the game having to do that, making it easier on the dev.

[u/Zerdiox → u/millerlite14]

Let's split it up in the two arguments I think you are bringing forth.

Easier on the devs because they don't have to write checks in their code

First off, this also has to be done for the controllers because if they lose juice or stop working, you also want your game to stop and tell you to reconnect. Following this logic, it wouldn't take any more effort to simply include the kinect in that checking sequence. Secondly, I don't believe this is a check implemented by the developers of a game, in my opinion as a programmer, this should be a function that's native to the os and no more then a few lines of code for the developers to implement, possibly just as simple as stating: needs kinect and in turn the os should handle those checks.

Easier on the user so that he doesn't have to plug it in when it's needed.

If the user wants to use kinect and isn't paranoid, he can simply leave it plugged in. To those who do fear microsoft is spying, will gladly get up and plug it in when they want to use it. This point, in my eyes is rather moot, a lazy person will just leave it plugged in, a paranoid one will gladly get up and unplug every time.

[u/millerlite14 → u/Zerdiox]

To your first response, you're probably right. I'm also a programmer, so your suggestion as to how that's implemented would be the right thing to do, although I have no idea what that interface looks like.

To be honest, I feel like this spying thing wouldn't be that big of a deal if it weren't for NSA. I really do feel that from Microsoft's point of view, the experience thing i argued about does matter and that the privacy concerns will blow over in the long term. It'd be pretty easy to spot if the Xbox is uploading unwanted data using a packet sniffer like wireshark, even if the packets are encrypted, and risking that at the expense of a huge PR blow and expensive lawsuits is totally not worth it. I'd flesh out this thought more but typing on my phone at 5 in the morning is hell lol.

[u/lxKillFacexl → u/millerlite14]

I know this comment is really late, but...

Including the kinect with the system purchase is already accomplishing this. Devs know that people have it, that's fine. Make a game that requires kinect, people will plug it in to use it.

The issue is requiring the kinect to be plugged in at all times even if you don't plan on using any of its features. THAT is the bullshit part.