MS reinstates digital sharing policies for those who buy digital

Microsoft’s original, digital-centric vision had us mandated to check-in to authenticate our games on a daily basis and would stop us playing if failed, it would also put a heavy restriction on used game sales and completely shut out physical disc rentals as we know it. As much of a shocker as Microsoft’s intentions were, there were actually positives to such a scenario; for one, once our games were installed from disc, that disc would no longer be needed to be in the system, secondly, and no doubt the most positive feature that was planned for our always-on Xbox One – was Xbox One Game Sharing – and that’s one feature that’s coming back!

Family Sharing was detailed by Microsoft to allow gamers to add friends/family to a unique Share Group, within this list one another could access each gamers purchased shared library of games, and have access to the full games. It was a feature no doubt put in place to take the sting out of the aggressive stance on DRM and used games that were once set in stone. The Family Sharing feature offered similar freedoms that we come to expect from disc games, but in a digital manner – no need to post your game to your friend, or meet up and swap games. It was something unique for the Xbox One platform, but the stigma surrounding the heavy restrictions on how we were to manage our discs saw a complete change of face pre-release due to consumer out-cry.

Due to Microsoft’s now infamous 180, the Xbox One’s policies on disc-based games is exactly the same as it is on Xbox 360 – the disc is required to be in the console, you can still sell, rent and physically share your disc-based games, but the ability to share via. Xbox Live has been sacrificed – but not for digital purchases, as revealed by Microsoft’s Phil Spencer in this recent interview with The Guardian.

When quizzed on sharing digital games, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer had this to say: “We didn’t reverse that.” Phil also added: “If you’re a digital customer and you’re comfortable with that, you should invest in being a digital customer on Xbox One, because those advantages will be coming, some at launch and some later.”

What this effectively means is that we look set to get the best of both worlds; for those of us who wish to embrace digital, and see incentive in doing so due to sheer convenience, and more importantly incredible value that such a feature offers, we will have the choice to do so.

That is good news.So does that mean family sharing is back, but just for digital games?

It is such a shame that Microsoft are really pants at explaining anything at all

Digital is all very groovy. But when the prices are the same or more for digital over physical its 100% no sale for me thats for sure !

Very true, also need much bigger hard drives and better download speeds for a digital future

Download speed generally seems ok on the 360 - its utter cock on ps3 - im sure they (sony) must cap it

I was more thinking of general broadband speeds, but can't disagree with you there mate, 360 outstrips the PS3 on downloads.

my ps3 dowloads at the same speed as the 360 as far as i can tell.

My BB isnt ultra fast - 30mb down. I deffo get say a 1gb faster on 360 than I would on ps3

anything takes me 6 months to download - best connection EU

I have always felts that my 360 downloads quicker than my PS3 but its helped by the fact that patches on PS3 are considerably larger than on Xbox as well so that doesnt help matters.

The option to start playing a demo as soon as you start to download is a great feature though

ps3 wireless is slower than 360 but when using Ethernet mines about the same.

Good point Sean. Both of mine are wireless although the PS3 is a little closer to my router.