Microsoft confirms required 24-hour check-in for Xbox One

Microsoft has officially confirmed the previous statement given by corporate vice president Phil Harrison that all games running on the upcoming Xbox One console will need to check in online every 24 hours.

The platform holder had previously refused to state exactly how often the Xbox One would need to check in online.

"With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console," reads Microsoft's statement.

If playing games on another Xbox One, such as a friend's or family member's, the console will require check-in with an active Internet connection every hour.

Microsoft adds that "offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you reestablish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies."

According to the official details, this is required so that the platform can acknowledge and verify whether users require game updates or have traded in their games. Additionally, Microsoft says games that make use of the Xbox One's cloud technology "may" require a constant connection to the Internet.

Microsoft recommends a broadband connection of 1.5Mbps for use with the Xbox One. "For reference, the average global Internet connection speed as measured recently by Akamai was 2.9 Mbps," says the publisher, adding that "in areas where an Ethernet connection is not available, you can connect using mobile broadband."

The Xbox One can be connected to a home network using a wired cable or via 802.11n wireless. The Xbox One contains two wireless antennas, as opposed to the singular antenna used in the Xbox 360.

Microsoft will be showing off its catalog of Xbox One titles next week at E3 2013 in Los Angeles. GameSpot will be in attendance.

The Xbox One was officially unveiled last month in an event held at Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington. Speaking at the event, Microsoft said that the console would not require an always-online connection for offline games.