Nobody asked for a digital future. Sure, in the long run it might have proven a better option for publishers, developers, and consumers, but with Microsoft's reversal on the Xbox One's DRM, we won't know — at least, not yet. Microsoft had some bold plans with the Xbox One — most notably, the digital library you could take with you anywhere and a family sharing plan that allowed up to 10 people on your friend list to borrow a game. But not everyone was ready for that future, at least not at the cost that Microsoft was asking; internet check-in requirements, the limitations on pre-owned games, and regional restrictions were just a few of the unpopular "features" of the Xbox One. Despite the 180, Microsoft is still keen on the idea of a digital future, though.
"We believe a lot in this digital future," Mark Whitten, VP of Xbox LIVE told Kotaku.
"We believe it builds an amazing experience—the ability to have a broader sharing platform and my content coming with me, [but] what we heard is people still wanted more choice… they wanted the familiarity of the physical disc," he added.
While most are enthralled with the notion that their hashtag war on Microsoft resulted in a change of policy for the Xbox One, is it necessarily the best thing for the gaming industry? Microsoft was definitely taking a risk, but that risk was met with animosity. And the result is a future that doesn't seem too different than the current-gen. Perhaps gamers aren't ready to abandon the physical disc; then again, some of the reactions seem to indicate otherwise.
