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.
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. 
"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.
Why Are Video Game Adaptations Good Now? | Spot On Fallout 4 Next Gen Update Comparison Fallout 4 Steam Deck Verified Gameplay ALIEN: Rogue Incursion - Announcement Teaser Trailer Stellar Blade - 13 Things I Wish I Knew S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Official "Not a Paradise" Trailer Manor Lords - Official Medieval City Builder/RTS Launch Trailer Honkai: Star Rail - "Then Wake to Weep" | Version 2.2 Trailer Devil May Cry: Peak Of Combat | Dante: Blazing Tempest Gameplay Trailer SAND LAND — Official Launch Trailer Sea of Thieves Season 12: Official Content Update Video Stellar Blade - Hard Mode No Damage Gigas Boss Gameplay
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation