Microsoft lifts XBox One DRM and other restrictions

Looks like Microsoft felt the pressure, and reports suggest their caving in to the consumer market’s needs when they officially release the Xbox One come fall this year.

 

Officially announced on the Xbox news site and reported on by Kotaku.com, the company has made a big announcement for the future of their new system, which will effectively reverse their new DRM policies that pretty much force consumers to be “always online” with their Xbox One. 

 

Following the reveal last May in a special Microsoft presentation, the upcoming new system that is part of the eight generation of video consoles was met with harsh criticism, especially with policies that require a constant internet connection within a 24-hour period to keep the system updated. 

 

Reflecting an apparent change in the Xbox One’s Q&A page, Giant Bomb has reported that Microsoft aims to remove the following items based on concerns from customers and critics alike:

 

 

That’s quite the list, and makes it apparent that Microsoft felt the pressure following mixed reactions to their Press Conference presentation at last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Despite presenting some worthwhile exclusives and third party games that make use of the powerful new technology and graphics incorporated into their new console, Microsoft arguably lost the “console war” when Sony unveiled and presented the Playstation 4, citing that their system requires no internet connection and will not restrict sharing used games. 

 

This has likely factored into Microsoft’s shift in stance for digital media usage and content, and what becomes of their family sharing strategy remains to be seen.

 

For more on the story, visit Giant Bomb and Xbox News. — TJD, GMA News