Microsoft to enable Xbox One digital game trading 'when the time is right'
"I think we need to do that", says Xbox director Albert Penello

The loaning and trading of digitally-downloaded games on Xbox One is something Microsoft intends to implement in future, according Xbox director Albert Penello.

One major drawback of buying a digital game is the inability to trade in or lend out that game as you would a retail disc. But Penello told Gamespot that lending and trading digital games "has to be part of the experience".

"That was one of the places that we were actually trying to pioneer," said Penello when asked about digital game trading. "We were trying to implement the ability to trade [and] loan digital games with your friends which is something that no one else was doing," he said in reference to the Xbox One's now axed Family Sharing initiative.

Family Sharing was one of the more unifying announcements surrounding Xbox One's controversial digital policies, which would have allowed players to share their entire game library with ten designated 'family members'.

Specific details on how the system would have worked weren't revealed before Microsoft confirmed that it was putting the idea on the backburner following its decision to reverse various Xbox One DRM policies.

But Penello indicates that Microsoft will revisit the idea. "I think we need to do that. That has to be part of the experience," he said.

"Right now, we're focused on launch and we switched the program back to discs, because that's what customers wanted.

"I get a lot of mails saying 'god, please bring back the family sharing.' We'd love to figure out how to bring that back. I still think it was a good idea. Maybe it was a little too soon for some people, but I still think there were a lot of good ideas in there. And we'll bring it back when the time is right."

This mirrors a previous statement from Xbox One chief product officer Marc Whitten, who said of the possibility of reintroducing Family Sharing, "If it's something that people are really excited about and want, we're going to make sure that we find the right way to bring it back."



Posted: Sep 05, 2013 5:41 am
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/427944/microsoft-to-enable-xbox-one-digital-game-trading-when-the-time-is-right/