Microsoft surrenders, announces major policy reversals for Xbox One

Apparently, even Microsoft isn’t willing to stick to its guns when the press and buzz it’s receiving is negative enough. In a surprising turn of events, Don Mattrick has given up trying to spray cologne on the various piles of cat vomit that made up their E3 announcements of the Xbox One and instead has charted a different course. Namely, an apparently complete capitulation on all points. An internet connection is no longer required to play Xbox One games offline. Trade-in, lend, resell, gift and rent disc based games will perform exactly as they do today. No regional restrictions. It’s an announcement that has all the signs of unconditional surrender on Microsoft’s part – so get out into the streets and start celebrating, citizens! Well, at least do so on the forums and comboxes, anyway.

Of course, Microsoft isn’t completely out of the woods on this one yet. There’s a little thing called an ‘erosion of trust’ that comes with even attempting to do what they did with the Xbox One, or at least attempting to defend what they did in the most belligerent and awkward of ways possible. You can bet Microsoft’s policies are going to be put under a microscope at this point for any signs that their apparent policy reversal is legitimate, rather than some kind of shell game. But for now, it’s sure looking like Microsoft – amazingly – learned a little lesson here.

And hats off to GiantBomb for breaking this particular story.

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: