Microsoft finally provided full details on how the used games and sharing games will work with Xbox One on Thursday following speculation since the next-gen console was first revealed. The console maker confirms that users will not be charged a fee at any time.
According to a post on Microsoft's new Xbox Wire site, Xbox One game owners will be able to trade in their games for cash or credit at participating retailers. Those last two words are key though and seemingly confirm the report of how Microsoft and possibly the publisher will handle used game sales.
That said, the post clearly states "Microsoft does not charge a platform fee to retailers, publishers, or consumers for enabling transfer of these games."
Microsoft is also re-working how Xbox LIVE accounts work and it is similar to the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Plan but much expanded. There will be a single master account with up to ten sub-accounts in a family that can play games on one or multiple consoles.
Share access to your games with everyone inside your home: Your friends and family, your guests and acquaintances get unlimited access to all of your games. Anyone can play your games on your console--regardless of whether you are logged in or their relationship to you.
Give your family access to your entire games library anytime, anywhere: Xbox One will enable new forms of access for families. Up to ten members of your family can log in and play from your shared games library on any Xbox One. Just like today, a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time.
Physical copies of games can also be lent to friends as long as they have been on the user's friends list for at least 30 days.
Give your games to friends: Xbox One is designed so game publishers can enable you to give your disc-based games to your friends. There are no fees charged as part of these transfers. There are two requirements: you can only give them to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days and each game can only be given once.
However, introduced one very large caveat to this by stating that lending games to friends and game rentals will not be available when the Xbox One launches. Game publishers may opt in or out of supporting reselling games and "may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers." Third party publishers will also have the ability to prevent game owners from lending games to friends.
Games on the Xbox One will also be available as physical copies and digital copies on the same day of release.
Expect more details to come with E3 next week. Microsoft's press conference will happen Monday, June 10 at 12:30 p.m. EST.
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