To say that the Xbox One is an enigma is perhaps the gaming world's understatement of the year, thus far at least. Right from the get go, and at every single turn, it has been a source of never-ending confusion, as well as frustration.
From the half-baked reveal, to the multiple (and verified) sources from within Microsoft, giving one unclear and contradicting detailafter another. By the way, Kotaku recently published several charts that sums everything up as tidily as possible.
Many were hoping, nay expecting, to have everything spelled out nice and clear at E3, but then came word that MS was canceling one on one interviews with the press next week. Which for many was the straw that broke the camel's back.
People on the sidelines were officially done with MS's shenanigans, and the latest word on the street was that the console maker simply has zero clue as to what they heck they are doing.
So it is perhaps this latest backlash, the most negative yet, that has promoted Microsoft to publish a website with zero fanfare, as GameIndustry International put it, one that finally clears the air on several key points.
There are three sub pages, each addressing a specific point and all its finer details. First is how, yes, you will absolutely need to have an internet connect, period:
"With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies."
Next is how game licensing works. Basically, when you purchase a game, it automatically gets added to the cloud. So if you're at a friend's place, you can log into your account via his or her machine and play your game there. Furthermore:
"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."
As for selling one's game, it's entirely possible, but ultimately up to the publisher's discretion:
"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."
Plus, you can even give your game to a friend, provided that they meet certain criteria:
"Xbox One is designed so game publishers can enable you to give your disc-based games to your friends. There are no fees charged as part of these transfers. There are two requirements: you can only give them to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days and each game can only be given once."
And finally, privacy concerns regarding the Kinect. Basically, when the Xbox One is turned off, it's still listening, but just for one thing:
"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."
Furthermore, there are key privacy options that can be adjusted, such as how data it gathers from observing you and other players are handled:
"When Xbox One is on and you’re simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded."
In the end, it's pretty much what we've all been expecting, and even told already, but in a clear-cut, straightforward manner. So, how do you feel about the Xbox One now?
