'Sony forced Microsoft's hand, not the internet whining', - Bleszinski

4.5
Gears of War designer and former Epic Games man Cliff Bleszinski has said it was Sony - and not "the internet whining" - that pushed Microsoft to withdraw its strict Xbox One used game DRM policies.


Microsoft today announced the complete withdrawal of the Xbox One's controversial used game restrictions and internet requirement for online license checks once every 24 hours - policies which Bleszinski bullishly defended on multiple occasions.

The platform holder said the changes came "as a result of feedback from the Xbox community," handing vocal internet communities a victory of sorts in their backlash against the corporation's original plans. But Bleszinski says it was Sony's largely DRM-free PS4 - and not the voice of the community - which forced Microsoft into the policy changes.

"Sony forced Microsoft's hand, not the internet whining," said Bleszinski via Twitter.

The designer also commented, "At the end of the day many hardcore dislike what was attempted. You can't do well in that space with many of your core unhappy. Especially when users have a choice. The nature of capitalism encourages competition and Sony played into that."

The original DRM proposals would have brought with them the infrastructure for Microsoft to channel some of the money made from used game sales back to publishers. But with that prospect now seemingly gone, Bleszinski believes publishers will only accelerate their efforts to maximize profits using DLC, micro transactions and "tacked on multiplayer".

"Brace yourselves. More tacked on multiplayer and DLC are coming," he said. "You're also about to see available microtransactions skyrocket.

"You're going to see digital versions of your favorite games with added 'features' and content to lure you to digital over disc based. 'Do whatever it takes to keep that disc in that tray' is the mantra of developers in a disc based world," Bleszinski went on.

"I want *developers* who worked their asses off to see money on every copy of their game that is sold instead of Gamestop. Fuck me, right?" he commented.

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/415453/sony-forced-microsofts-hand-not-the-internet-whining-says-bleszinski/

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"'Sony forced Microsoft's hand, not the internet whining', - Bleszinski" :: Login/Create an Account :: 72 comments

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DNaDeePosted:

GibbityTree
gregdaleg Does anyone really believe that the whining did anything? No. Microsoft doesn't give a **** about gamers. They worry about money. The only reason they changed their DRM policies is because Sony had more preorders and Microsoft realized they were losing money. If they cared about their fans they wouldn't have put that DRM **** on in the first place. I have a 360 and have never played ps3. But i will be buying a ps4 instead of an xbox one. All the Microsoft fan-boys need to realized microsoft **** them in the ass.


Exactly. The fans didn't do jack ****. M$ knew exactly what they were doing when they did this. They knew the PS4 was gonna slaughter them, so they quickly changed up the policies. But, unfortunately for them, most people are still going with PS4 because they stayed true to the gamers. Where $hittysoft only wants to take money and **** people in the ass.


XB1 leading PS4 in preorders on Amazon now. The Last of Us is beating PS4 now.

GibbityTreePosted:

gregdaleg Does anyone really believe that the whining did anything? No. Microsoft doesn't give a **** about gamers. They worry about money. The only reason they changed their DRM policies is because Sony had more preorders and Microsoft realized they were losing money. If they cared about their fans they wouldn't have put that DRM **** on in the first place. I have a 360 and have never played ps3. But i will be buying a ps4 instead of an xbox one. All the Microsoft fan-boys need to realized microsoft **** them in the ass.


Exactly. The fans didn't do jack shit. M$ knew exactly what they were doing when they did this. They knew the PS4 was gonna slaughter them, so they quickly changed up the policies. But, unfortunately for them, most people are still going with PS4 because they stayed true to the gamers. Where $hittysoft only wants to take money and **** people in the ass.

gregdalegPosted:

Does anyone really believe that the whining did anything? No. Microsoft doesn't give a **** about gamers. They worry about money. The only reason they changed their DRM policies is because Sony had more preorders and Microsoft realized they were losing money. If they cared about their fans they wouldn't have put that DRM shit on in the first place. I have a 360 and have never played ps3. But i will be buying a ps4 instead of an xbox one. All the Microsoft fan-boys need to realized microsoft **** them in the ass.

BallerStatus07Posted:

They're not gonna post about PS4 release date

WageringPosted:

It was both, why is Sony acting like such children over this...They're acting worse than their fans under the age of 10...

WoobiePosted:

I think it was a bit of both, they have to stay on pace with Sony if they want to keep up or surpass them in sales and if the internet hadn't whined they would have lost tons of potential customers.

-LivePosted:

xSTaTiCBLuEx
BossHaug Could not agree more with the GoW designer.
Microsoft does not care what the internet or consumers want. Exactly why Windows 8 had no start button, hopefully Windows Blue reverses that though. If Sony had the same restrictive policies the X1 did Microsoft would not have changed a thing. Microsoft realized though Sony would sell a sh*t load more consoles being cheaper and less restrictive so to stay competitive they had to change.
Personally I see this as win because I really didn't want to switch to PS4 and now I've got good reason to stay with Xbox.

For once, thank you M$.


I don't think you read the article correctly, the GOW dev was all for the DRm and is against the change saying that the publishers get **** over and will not release far more DLC and microtransactions which I see as a load of ******** and just them as money whoring ****


No, re-read it. The GoW Developer was saying that since there is no built DRM there will be a lot more DLC and added multiplayer that will most likely add online passes. I doubt EA would be going back this way since they just got rid of the Online passes and that would be a bad business decision but for the rest of the publishers out there, it could be true.

xSTaTiCBLuExPosted:

BossHaug Could not agree more with the GoW designer.
Microsoft does not care what the internet or consumers want. Exactly why Windows 8 had no start button, hopefully Windows Blue reverses that though. If Sony had the same restrictive policies the X1 did Microsoft would not have changed a thing. Microsoft realized though Sony would sell a sh*t load more consoles being cheaper and less restrictive so to stay competitive they had to change.
Personally I see this as win because I really didn't want to switch to PS4 and now I've got good reason to stay with Xbox.

For once, thank you M$.


I don't think you read the article correctly, the GOW dev was all for the DRm and is against the change saying that the publishers get **** over and will not release far more DLC and microtransactions which I see as a load of bullshit and just them as money whoring ****

xSTaTiCBLuExPosted:

And they think that is the way to please the consumer? Please **** right off

WzdPosted:

I agree, Sony made their point