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Microsoft on Xbox One messaging -- "Shame on us"

Chief product officer Marc Whitten admits company has not done enough to communicate benefits of Xbox One, says family sharing plan could return.

2482 Comments

Xbox chief product officer Marc Whitten has addressed messaging issues for the Xbox One, saying "shame on us" for coming up short in communicating to consumers the benefits of the next-generation console.

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"I think it's pretty simple. We've got to just talk more, get people understanding what our system is," Whitten told IGN in a new interview. "The thing that's really gratifying is that people are excited about the types of features that are possible, and it's sort of shame on us that we haven't done as good of a job as we can to make people feel like that's where we're headed."

Whitten also spoke about the Change.org petition calling Microsoft to reinstate its controversial Xbox One policies. He said Microsoft's decision to reverse its policies was done to give consumers more options and explained that the company still has work to do to get this point across to consumers.

"What it tells me is we need to do more work to talk about what we're doing because I think that we did something different than maybe how people are perceiving it," Whitten said. "When I read some of the things like that petition, from my perspective we took a lot of the feedback and, while Xbox One is built to be digital native, to have this amazing online experience, we realized people wanted some choice. They wanted what I like to call a bridge, sort of how they think about the world today using more digital stuff."

"Frankly, I think we need to just do more to let people see how the console works, what they're going to be able to do for it."

"What we did, we added to what the console can do by providing physical and offline modes in the console. It isn't about moving away from what that digital vision is for the platform," he added. "It's about adding that choice. Frankly, I think we need to just do more to let people see how the console works, what they're going to be able to do for it. I think a lot of the things they're wishing for are frankly there."

Also in the interview, Whitten specifically addressed the Xbox One's family sharing plan, which was killed off when Microsoft announced its change of policies. He explained that this feature--which would allow gamers to share their digital libraries with up to 10 others--could make a return if consumers make enough noise.

"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," Whitten said. Check out the full IGN interview for more.

The Xbox One launches this November for $500 alongside competitor Sony's $400 PlayStation 4.

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MonkeySpot

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No used games? No XB1 purchase. Period. What a JOKE... They are trying to get a greased finger up your ass before trying for the whole fist... WAKE UP.

2 • 
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COPMAN221ISBACK

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@MonkeySpot Oh they have been fisting their xbots for years and they love it.. :)

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deus_xg

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No matter what Xbox One, try to do reversing policies, or whatever, they won't even recover half the fans they used to have.

2 • 
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playaflyin

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Xbox is always gonna be where it's at. Silly kids Xbox is for adults. (That dont smoke pot 24/7 and think there is actually a spycam! Lmao.)

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jimdotbeep

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@playaflyin your an idoit if you can't make the connection between Microsoft being outted as part of the Prisim program just as they are unvieling the XBOX One with the Kinect that was ment to be "Always On"

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Hellhound30x

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Edited By Hellhound30x

@playaflyin I can't tell you how many times I've been on xbox live only to hears some dummy telling everyone he's getting high.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've run into little kids cursing worse than sailors on xbox live.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've heard some fool cry over another persons winning streak...

So I MUST ASK WHAT THE F*CK DO YOU MEAN XBOX IS FOR ADULTS???

BECAUSE THAT MAKES ME THINK YOU'VE NEVER EVEN PLAYED ONLINE WITH XBOX.

6 • 
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halo117xbox

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@Hellhound30x No console is for adults. I think only PC is for adults i doubt some lil kid is gonna have a $700-$3000 gaming rig unless they some stupid spoiled lil rich kid ofcourse.

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Mikeol1987

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@Hellhound30x I reckon 50/60% of the gaming community get high whilst gaming.

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Mikeol1987

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@Hellhound30x be that on marijuana or coca cola, or just coffee. its all the same.

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Jd234

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@playaflyin not funny

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ThereWillBeNPCs

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Youde think they would have told us everything there is to know when a few months away from release.

2 • 
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atopp399

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Edited By atopp399

Lol, anyone read about the new DRM Forza has going for it? The nightmare just doesn't end for Microsoft. When those Forxa servers shut down once Forza 6 is released say goodbye to ever playing Forza 5 again.

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sergiodoom

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With all this being said, I'm pretty sure MS will drop the price at some point, I'll get an xbox one then, when they are begging me to get their console I might get it. In the meantime I'll be playing my PS4!

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PixelAddict

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Microsoft is like that drunk uncle who just keeps talking, saying things that only get themselves into more trouble.

They need to just shush and go to bed. Everything will be okay, just shush.

2 • 
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sergiodoom

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@PixelAddict Your comment reminded me of my drunk uncle... I just LOL

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themc_7

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I'm very interested to hear more about this sharing plan. I don't mind no game trade ins, but I do share games with my friends. If you could have 10 people on a list and share games that way, that'd work for me.

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Shanks_D_Chop

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Talk less. Microsoft have been talking too much, boasting too much, speaking too much bullshit about their system.

Rather than preparing some proper tech demos, showcasing them, sitting back and letting the console do the talking.

Although I love this line.

"What it tells me is we need to do more work to talk about what we're doing because I think that we did something different than maybe how people are perceiving it"

You might not understand it at first, it's slightly advanced Bullshittery, but what it roughly translates into is "I get fired if I concede that we fucked up".


13 • 
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Kalbent

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the petition was a troll M$. Can your PR be any more out of touch?

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Ruukasu01

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Edited By Ruukasu01

Don't feed the trolls.

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asendedtrunks

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Wasn't that petition a joke? Almost all of the signature comments I read were mocking or just people using it as comment section to reply to other people who had signed.

3 • 
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DeViLzzz

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This is old news people. Check out MS shooting itself in the foot and head again in newer articles. MS do you know when to shut the **** up ?

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TURBO-BURNER

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Edited By TURBO-BURNER

@deadbeat213 I Agree, They disappointed most of us, soon I guess Nintendo would probably have a better console than the Xbox 1. Not just that but Windows 8 also disappoints me aswell. This is just really disappointing.

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TURBO-BURNER

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Microsoft made Windows 8 into a Xbox Menu and an Xbox One into a Security VCR Box that can change channels & play games...what's next? Next windows requiring Xbox controller or will the Next Xbox need a touchscreen TV?...Seriously, in my opinion this seems odd and unoriginal in many ways.

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jimdotbeep

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Edited By jimdotbeep

What the **** is this. was the 180 just some bullshit they told us to make us forget them banning used games and forcing there spy cams into our homes.

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hellrazorangel

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Edited By hellrazorangel

Where can I go to "make enough noise?" I was really excited about that! PLEASE Microsoft bring back Xbox One's family sharing plan!!!! I would love to share my digital libraries with up to 10 others... it's the one thing I've always wanted from Steam.. Please bring it to the box!

2 • 
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sonyfreak456

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Marc Whitten must have been anally probed by E.T. In order for Marc to confess.

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Sevenizz

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I am one of the few that got what MS was doing and I supported and pre-ordered the Xbox One.

It's a shame that supposed gamers who are supposed to embrace new technology wanted to keep gaming in the dark ages.

2 • 
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SambaLele

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Edited By SambaLele

@Sevenizz New technology?

Restrictive policies aren't new technology.

If they wanted, they could maintain the family share plan, while also allowing a free used games physical market.

Why didn't they?

Because this way, all the rules behind family share (checking up online, registering the game to your online account, being able to sell the game only in a partner retailer - aka monopoly contract - or fee that used game if you're going to sell or lend it any other way) wouldn't serve as DRM.

Their intention was obviously to kill the used games market.

They were just making a soft way to implement that slowly, with family share first, than recrudescing the policy until it's got the form they initially proposed, at X1's unveiling, which was a lot worse than the family share proposed a long time later, at E3, after the backlash they got.

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TigusVidiks

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@Sevenizz it´s not the new features. They were interesting. It´s the user restrictions they associated with those new features.
FAMILY sharing is a cool concept. But not if that means no used games.
No disc required to play it´s cool. But not if that forces you to log in every 24h.
Kinect included in the console pack is cool. But not if it becomes mandatory to have it turned on to be able to play.
And so on.

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noigel

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Edited By noigel

@Sevenizz Yes, one of the two... And yes, shame on us who want to be able to try products before purchasing, shame on us who want to be able to give back a game if it's not good enough, shame on us who travel and buy games overseas, shame on us who have more than 1 friend, We are dooming the videogame industry!!!!!!!! WTF are "the dark ages" anyway?

11 • 
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96augment

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@noigel The "Dark Ages" are apparently the days when you can have both physical and digital versions of games.

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96augment

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Edited By 96augment

@TURBO-BURNER @96augment Offline gaming isn't gone. All the consoles can do it now. Privacy, on the other hand, just stick with PC, PS4 or Wii U.

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96augment

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@SambaLele I can't believe that people think used games destroy game companies. It's crappy games, not used games. Not every company blames consumers. Rockstar, Valve, and CD Projekt don't aggravate their fans at all.

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SambaLele

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Edited By SambaLele

@96augment @noigel

The dark ages were also those when companies couldn't blame consumers for their bad businesses.

This kind of talk is becoming more and more accepted in the gaming community (which is worrying):

"Used games are like piracy, they damage the industry. If you think your rights as proprietor of what you bought are more important than our profit, shame on you".

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TURBO-BURNER

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@96augment Those where also the days of retro and offline gaming... whether it was good or bad atleast you had your privacy and alone or family time without anyone else irritating you.

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guitarist1980

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Edited By guitarist1980

@Sevenizz yes and no. I agree with you to a certain extent but they could have added a little more juice to the console. And because they havent explained to us gamers why we are paying for Kinect 2.0 instead of a 7870 gpu makes us a little worried. However illumiroom looks awesome and hopefully that comes to fruition. That clearly adds something unique the XB1. But most of us gamers are just not understanding why Microsoft invested so much money into there camera. They say the price of the camera alone is more than the whole console.

9 • 
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Xillia26

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Shame on us? Really Microsoft?

I reckon that this another shooting yourself in the foot.

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lilflex1

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with no advertising to catch my attention and no backwards capability I started looking at the ps4 not really sad for the change

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Sevenizz

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@lilflex1 PS4 isn't backwards compatible either, fyi.

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SambaLele

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@Sevenizz @lilflex1 Well, it seems Gaikai will allow you to play PS1-2-3 games:

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/20/playstation-4-will-stream-ps1-ps2-ps3-games/

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lilflex1

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@SambaLele @Sevenizz @lilflex1

the reason I got a xbox is cause I knew more people with it but it does have better exclusives but now the ps4 has some negatives posted online. more/different console advertisments would help make consumers choices easier

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TURBO-BURNER

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@Sevenizz @lilflex1 They would have to stream through cloud though

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guitarist1980

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@Sevenizz @lilflex1 Yeah I would usually go for the PS4 but I just dont like Sony's exclusives. Barring Uncharted. Loved Uncharted 2 especially.

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FULGOREY2K

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shame on you? M$? please

oh come on, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice.....no cant do that now, im getting the ps4

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TURBO-BURNER

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Edited By TURBO-BURNER

Same here, I'd rather get a PS4 rather than getting that POS... or better still an Atari 2600. Microsoft has disappointed us and they should be ashamed, and I don't want this to happen again in the near future like the windows cycle.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Cn_jem4ZT0/UPwLzBVwkjI/AAAAAAAAAHk/Wvi9jkuhH8M/s320/Windows-life-cycle.png

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Sevenizz

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@FULGOREY2K Have fun with um, Knack?

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FULGOREY2K

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@Sevenizz driveclub and killzone for me thanks. will look later on to knack, thanks

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agallardo13

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Edited By agallardo13

@Sevenizz @FULGOREY2K have fun with SPYCAM

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gamefreak215jd

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@Sevenizz @FULGOREY2K What is Knack the only exclusive on PS4?!

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