It’s no secret that gamers were unhappy with the new Xbox One features. Many users announced their displeasures by posting jokes, memes, and GIF’s making fun of the new console, on the internet. The price as well as the restrictions sent many dedicated Xbox fans over to Sony’s PS4.
Microsoft set out to relieve the pressures on gamers by changing the Xbox One’s policy. In June, the company announced that the Xbox One will not have to check into the internet once every 24 hours, even for offline games. Instead, the console will only have to be logged into the World Wide Web when first setting it up.
They also lifted their restrictions on used games, an act many gamers were pleased about. Now users will be able to sell their used disc-based games, and trade them with their friends.
“The sharing of games will work as it does today; you will simply share the disc.” Microsoft’s Don Mattrick wrote. However, games downloaded from the Marketplace cannot be sold or traded. This way, Microsoft and its customers get what they want. Users get the freedom to sell and trade their games, and Microsoft can control the trade of its digital material.
The new Xbox will also not be region locked, meaning you can take the system anywhere you want. Before, it was going to be required to leave the console in one area, and connected to the internet. Gamers wanted the freedom to pick up their console and go play it at a friend’s house, something that many users do.
It is also rumored that Microsoft will make its online membership, Xbox Live, free, or reduce its membership price, in order to make it cheaper than Sony’s PS4 in the long run. The reason behind the two consoles’ price differences are the cameras. Yes, the PS4 was going to come with a camera.
Sony’s original plans were to integrate its camera, which was known as the PS4 Eye, into its new console, just like Microsoft did with the Kinect 2. The company dropped the idea, however, to beat Microsoft on price.
If the camera was included, the price is estimated to have been $499, just like the Xbox. This sudden drop of hardware rendered one of the consoles unique feature, the Dualshock 4 controller’s LED light, useless. The camera will be available, however, at a separate price of $59.99.
Microsoft may still sacrifice some of its features, or highlight some new ones, in order to win back some of its customers. Their effort may pay off when both systems launch in fall.
