To sum up the answers Microsoft confirms that users have to be online every day, the Kinect won’t record you if you turn it off, and you may have used games depending on the circumstances.
With the popular questions jeopardizing Microsoft’s reputation, they have straightened out rumors and, confirmed certain details in a series of Xbox Wire posts.
One of the most popular questions buzzing in the Xbox One atmosphere is if the console has to be “always online.” Microsoft states that they are preparing for a “connected future”, and if you want to keep gaming, you will have to go online every day.
The platform holder states, “While a persistent connection is not required, Xbox One is designed to verify if system, application or game updates are needed and to see if you have acquired new games, or resold, traded in, or given your game to a friend. Games that are designed to take advantage of the cloud may require a connection.”
Microsoft recommends users to have an internet connection of at least a connection of 1.5 Mbps. If you wish to game offline, you have to log on once every twenty-four hours, and if you are on a friend’s console in your account, you’d have to log on every hour for your games to work.
They go on to say, “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.”
One of the reasons why the Xbox One requires the users to be online every day is to see whether the user have traded in a game because the console has a licensing system for games.
Microsoft says, “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 confirmed.
Even though it sounds harsh, the licensing system has some benefits. Anybody that logs in to an Xbox One can access all the contents that were purchased on that console, and if the user is on their account at a friend’s house, they will be able to access all the same content that was on their Xbox One at home due to cloud computing.
They go on to say, “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.”
Many people found it creepy that the Xbox One’s Kinect was always listening, it makes sense because Microsoft made it possible for users to turn on their console simply by saying “Xbox On.”
Microsoft states, “You are in control of what Kinect can see and hear: By design, you will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup,
“When Xbox One is on and you’re simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded.
“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.
“You are in control of your personal data: You can play games or enjoy applications that use data, such as videos, photos, facial expressions, heart rate and more, but this data will not leave your Xbox One without your explicit permission.”
We hope to hear about the Xbox One at E3 in a couple days. What questions do you have for Microsoft?