Has Microsoft’s DRM Policies Doomed the Xbox One?

Last week during E3 we asked you if Microsoft's policies on used games and DRM in general on the Xbox One have doomed the new console among consumers.

[Excalibur]

It damn sure ain't doing it any favors....

[MariaHelFutura]

Exactly. It's has DRM. But, it also has weaker hardware, horrible pr, country restrictions, a forced camera, it's watching/listening, it's more expensive, a less appealing online service, crazy restrictions, horrible policies, a confused hardcore fanbase, a bad name and many more problems to deal w/ that could lead to it being doomed. DRM is only one part of the problem.

[JokesOnYou]

No, thats ridiculous, no one likes drm anymore than they like paying for online but there are trade-offs for great services, game sharing is a huge plus for X1. Sure those who hated on 360 everyday are just being more vocal, the vast majority of 360 owners are going to buy a X1, while n4g will still be full of the usual suspects making excuses why its doing well= nothings changed, plus X1 has broader appeal to the general public that will buy X1 in the future for games and it's superior multimedia functionality.

[airgangstarr]

i wouldnt say it has a less appealing online service it blows away psn by a long shot

[Crazyglues]

Has Microsoft’s DRM Policies Doomed the Xbox One?

In a single word, "Yes"

Will a lot of people still buy it anyway, of course... -but majority of people won't. No one likes DRM... So it sure as hell is not helping the situation.

-But in my humble opinion that's just the beginning of their problems - Like -MariaHelFutura- above stated..

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[airgangstarr]

the drm is making it so only certain people can use it it doesnt matter if u like xbox more then ps4 if u dont have internet or cant afford it they ur gonna buy a ps4 i think they shoulda waited for the gen after next when internet was more sturdy to try this but they wanna lead they way go ahead right into darkness cause no many of us our following

[johnnywit]

I hope it has doomed the xbox one. This way it will send a message to the industry that consumers don't want DRM. This is coming from someone who was a fan of the 360 and was looking forward to the next xbox but if I can't rent or share my games and I have to always be connected online I won't deal with it. It seems xbone was made by top MS executives that know little to nothing about gaming culture. PS4 for me this gen.

[avengers1978]

MS has the marketing so don't count them out, but it ain't looking to good for them right now

[GribbleGrunger]

I don't think it's just the DRM that has hurt the X1 (I won't say doomed because that's nonsense) it's the fact it's weaker than the PS4, not as well designed as the PS4 and is $100 more. Sony are currently developing for the Vita, PS3 and the PS4, so it's also obvious that there'll eventually be far more exclusives for the PS4 too.

[Timesplitter14]

I think it's a combination of DRM, always-online, integrated kinect, all voice/gesture recognition gimmicks that come with it, lack of indie support, poor X360 exclusive lineup for the last 2-3 years, and CEOs that think they can just force all this shit on everyone and no one will complain

[komp]

It would depend on who you ask. The clear winner will stand head and shoulders above all when the time comes.

To be honest I would like to see some competition for SONY in the future, so total DOOM ON, PANIC SEX time is something I do not wish for.

[LOGICWINS]

With or without the DRM issues, I'm willing to bet that more people would have pre-ordered the PS4 simply because of the cheaper entry level price and the the value of PS Plus compared to XBL.

[Theyellowflash30]

Xbox One is doomed in a lot of countries. I can't send any of my cousins one in Africa. It doesn't work there.

There is no release date for Japan. Japanese developers are going to ignore it for the most part.

The DRM is a problem for people who travel, or have bad internet. The fact you cant borrow or lend games is bad. No renting games sucks as well.

There are a host of issues with the Xbox One, the asking price is too high for most people. Families can't afford that. Kinect being always online....I mean, the issues go on and on.

[Doctor_Freeman]

I don't know what M$ was thinking, I live in the US and I don't have the most stable internet, and if I'm not able to play my offline games because i'm having connection problems then that's a major deal breaker.

[Deadpool101]

They have now said that you can do the "check in" by tethering to your cell phone. Hopefully those with poor broadband connections at least have decent phone reception.

[rainslacker]

What's funny about the cell phone thing, is that even less people have a data plan on their cell phone than have internet. Cell phone service is less available than internet service, and in many cases costs more than internet service.

It's nice that people can do it of course, but it's hardly an answer to satisfy all the people no internet connection affects.

[GamePeace]

No, fans will buy it. You must respect the choices of others. I will buy a Ps4, because I'm a PS fan since I was young.

[Nocando]

I suppose by the disagree that no, you must not respect the choices of others lol

[GamePeace]

You must, even if you don't want to. You must this and more... my friend.

[panbit86]

Yes.

[BitByter]

Short Answer: Yes.

Long Answer: Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

[MizTv]

Drm sucks ass
That is all

[TotalSynthesisX]

Is that even a question now? Of course it has.

[KarrBOMB]

I think the DRM problem is just one in many issues for M$. The $100 additional cost wouldn't be a big deal on its own though. I remember when the PS3 came out, I reserved one, but was not able to get one on the release day. I paid $499 + tax where my 360 cost $399 + tax. The cost difference wasn't really an issue as this generation is seeing the price points reversed.

But, the $100 additional cost for the XBone is not the same situation that Sony was in with their PS3. All the additional restrictions, forced Kinect, forced installs, DRM, Live subscription, 24hr check-in, etc, etc. (I could go on and on)... These are the factors which will surely hurt M$. But when adding all these issues together and seeing the $100 difference, it puts a huge spotlight onto the PS4 and makes it just that much more appealing.

Regardless of the entire mess, I don't want to see a major console player fail, the competition is good for gamers. But as a gamer I think Sony deserves credit for their reaction to M$' missteps. They listened to all the consumer rage and feedback, then gave us the unrestricted and true gaming system of the future... The PS4!

For that alone I think Sony deserves respect from even the M$ fanboys. Hell I admit that I spend more time and money on the 360 than I do with my PS3. But the PS3 has far superior exclusives. Plus I play a ton of cross-platform games. So being on board with just Sony this next time around won't cause me to miss a single thing.

[Klonoa-dreamtraveler]

there in a quick sand of shit. so yes

[headblackman]

this is a dumb question and itsna recycled question. it is what it is. there will be a lot of people that will buy it and a lot who won't. I'll be one of the many buying it because I can see the massive potential in it all. hate on the Xbox line if you will but its only a matter of time before you all get the con sept. the sad part about it is that most sing fans actually see the potential in it already but they down play the brilliance of it all. can you say steam gaming? and that's aside from all of the other key features that will target more buyers than just gamers. can't say the same for ps4. I'll take more with my purchase thank you. both systems have DRM features. both of those consoles will use them because its 100% up to the game developers. not Sony and not Microsoft. so don't think that you're gonna buy a ps4 and buy the same gfame that's on the Xbox one and not have the DRM enabled if its enabled on the Xbox one. ps4 will receive the same DRM hit. now deal with that!and that's not fiction that's a known fact! so there very same thing your running to a lesser company for will be plagued with the same issues. I'll stick with the Xbox one and get a massive amount more.

[jmc8888]

No the publisher DRM rules remains the same on the PS4 as the PS3

But the system DRM...THAT'S the difference. You gain nothing by it. Not one thing.

Enjoy being spied upon and being exploited by Kinect, because you will be. ONE day you may be very sorry you allowed the Kinect to exploit you.

You say you'll get a massive amount more? Of what?

You're spending $100 more for a system that the PS4 has beat by 50-125 percent in power.

You're buying an internet connection tester with NSA spyware...that happens to barely run next-gen games, for $100 more.

I'll tell you what you will get massive amount more of...

More spying
More exploitation
More hassles to play your game with SYSTEM DRM

With the possibility of

More hardware failures like RRROD
More waiting as they push back release date

You're going to get more all right, just not anything to do with gaming, and everything to do with needless bs.

[headblackman]

if you feel that way, then you shouldn't buy any electronics. and if you believe that bull then your dumb as hell for believing that the xbox one and kinect is the only thing that something like that would be possible. all technology is suspect. that cellphone you got in your pocket, just take a hammer to that right now. those computers you've got, just take a metal bat to that whole setup.my point here is, you can't run from the government. if they wanna spy on you and get your dumb ass they can do it with no problem and the Xbox one and connect isn't needed for that. anything that can connect to the internet has that possible threat. so stop acting like your safe with that lame ass ps4 and its lame kinect ripoff. if they wanna tap into either and do whatever, they can. so deal with that asshole

[Nocando]

By now it's simply a rhetorical, cynical question for hits. There hasn't been a solitary article that has added any real value to the discussion.

[MasterD919]

I'll buy one used just to piss of the guy who decided to greenlight DRM.

[ThatsGaming]

Games doom a console... Not DRM...

And if DRM does doom a console, that is a sad reflection on gamers.

To me, consoles are solely about the games. That is why I buy every platform that releases. I care only about having the best games.

[jmc8888]

Really?

You're going to say that gamers not buying a console because IT decides when I can play, and IT spies on me to exploit me is a sad reflection on gamers?

Why does the NSA need to watch me and get a suite of data about me so I can play my games?

Why does Microsoft need to share that data with thousands of corporations so I can play my games?

Why does Microsoft need to have my console connect to their servers (which won't be around 10 or so years from now) in order to play my games?

I think your position is a sad reflection of yourself.

It would be a sad reflection on society if it DIDN'T doom this console based on it's DRM and spying.

[ThatsGaming]

Games are more important to me then anything else. That is a gamer mantra... Why has that changed all of a sudden? Games win the day...

As for the spying... OMG... You read too many conspiracy novels. Kinect does not spy... Kinect simply is waiting for people to step in front of it and ask the console to turn on. That is not spying.

As for the NSA, they keep America safe. Today it was announced that their "spying" has thwarted over 50 terrorist attacks. So, you can't have it both ways... NSA can stop spying, which means that terrorists will be able to more easily attack you... What's worse? Spying or dying?

Microsoft sharing data? Just like every other company on the planet. Including Sony...

[Hicken]

... if your console doesn't make people wanna buy it, then the games don't mean shit.

And, whether you want to face reality or not, the hard truth is that DRM is turning people off from the XBO in massive quantities. So yes, it WILL doom the console.

I'm sorry, but I can't see any scenario in which that's a sad reflection on gamers. People want to be able to OWN their games, and the XBO's DRM doesn't allow that. It's a sad reflection on Microsoft for trying to push it through, and a sad reflection on individuals like you who try to justify it.

You say consoles are about games. SO IS DRM. DRM is about limiting your ability to posses the game you bought. So if you ACTUALLY care about games, then DRM should matter to you.

[ThatsGaming]

Read the end user license agreement of both 360 and PS3 games today... Technically you don't own them neither.

You are only granted a license to use it.

[Hicken]

EULAs are full of things they can't enforce. So while they may SAY you only own a license to use their product, their legal recourse for revoking that license is pretty slim. Not to mention: your rights as a buyer supercede anything written there.

[ThatsGaming]

That's interesting...

First, they don't say you own anything...

So why would they take the time to write licenses if they have no ability for recourse?

I doubt they want to create employment for lawyers... Or waste money on printed pages that cost money to print...