Xbox One: No Always-Online Requirement, But Needs To Phone Home

[wraggster]

The Xbox One was revealed earlier (https://games.slashdot.org/story/13/05/21/1739209/microsoft-unveils-xbox-one), and Kotaku was able to get some answers about the always-online rumors that plagued the console before its announcement. Microsoft VP Phil Harrison said Xbox One doesn't need a constant connection in order to play games, and you won't be dropped from single-player games if your connection cuts out. However, it does require check-ins with Microsoft servers (http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-509164109). This echoes the Xbox One FAQ (http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/qa), which cryptically says, "No, it does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet." The number Harrison gave was once every 24 hours, but Microsoft's PR department (http://majornelson.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-and-used-games/)was quick to say that was just one potential scenario (http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4353538/xbox-one-perform-recurring-online-checks-even-for-offline-play), not a certainty. Microsoft also provided half-answers about how used games and game sharing would work. Players will be able to take a game to a friend's house and play it (using their profile, at least). Playerswill also have some mechanism to trade and sell used games (http://kotaku.com/you-will-be-able-to-trade-xbox-one-games-online-micros-509140825), but it's not yet clear exactly how it would work. If one player uses a disc to install a game on their Xbox One, then gives the disc to a friend, the friend will be able to install it, but needs to pay full price to play it. That scenario, however, assumes both players want to own the game — the second one would essentially be a unique copy. Microsoft said they have a plan for trading used games, which would involve deactivating the game on the original owner's console, but they aren't willing to elaborate yet."

http://games.slashdot.org/story/13/05/22/0248217/xbox-one-no-always-online-requirement-but-needs-to-phone-home