Machiavellian said:
Its interesting how people view DRM because most seem to accept it when its their platform of choice. For the PC, very few people really got up in arms that they cannot do to many things with their digital copy of games from Steam or Blizzard etc. Its seems people have accepted that they cannot gift, trade, share etc. Even on consoles, you cannot do any of those things. You cannot gift, share, trade or resell your digital game. So people are very comfortable or getting comfortable with this DRM. So MS solution stated that you could do all of those things. You could gift, trade, share your digital game. The problem with MS system is that it tried to include physical games in that scenario. In order to ensure that the system did not get abused which it would for physical games, MS implemented the 24 hour check. Why was this check needed. Because someone could purchase a game, install it on their X1, return the same game back to the retailer or give it to their friend, continue to play the game and get away with it.
If MS made the X1 all digital, then no one really would be complaining about the ability to Gift, sell, Trade, share your digital games because currently no online system allows you to do this. MS was forced to market because Sony jump to market. MS did not have this part fully in place so they floundered all over the place and their message was muddled. You have to give it to Sony for catching MS with their pants down and took advantage of MS not being ready while they were. So in my opinion we probably would today be able to perform all the things we can do today with physical games if MS had their stuff together but they did not and the incomplete message did not get a chance to get set because of the backlash. |
The check is not needed to solve this problem. In fact this problem is already solved today with game discs. You need to put the game disc in to play the game. So why not force the user to put the game disc in if they are not connected to the internet. You get the best of both worlds then, if you are connected to the internet, no need for a game disc. If you aren't, you can still play your games.