Xbox One Consoles, Games and Accessories

The Xbox One is the latest console from Microsoft, competing directly with the PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Wii U. It was released in late 2013 and features a number of enhancements (overlaying live TV over a game, allowing use of a second display, and split-screen multitasking, as well as the ability to live-stream or record highlights while playing a game), as well as making use of the existing Xbox Live network (don’t forget, we sell Xbox Live credit too!).

When it was first announced, the Xbox One suffered some controversy due to two new policies introduced by Microsoft: each console would be required to contact an Internet server at least once per 24 hours, and the Kinect camera peripheral would be required to be plugged into the console at all times.

Many users raised privacy concerns, claiming that the combination of the ‘always-online’ requirement and the mandatory use of Kinect meant that the console could be used for surveillance and targeted advertising, especially with the amount of data Kinect was capable of tracking (such as eye movements, heart rate and mood). It was also pointed out that because the camera’s microphone is always on (as a requirement for the voice control functions of the console) that it could be used to record conversations.

Other users were concerned by the ‘always-online’ requirement. Initially it was planned that every purchased game would be tied to a user’s Xbox Live account, accessible from any Xbox One console, and playable without the disc once it was installed. The console would contact a Microsoft server once per 24 hours so it could certify each game’s license to be played– if the console did not make this connection, all of the console’s games would be disabled until the connection could be made.

After a considerable amount of consumer backlash, Microsoft changed their policy so the Kinect console would not be required to operate the console (although it was still included in console packages at launch). The ‘always-online’ requirement was also removed.

Within its first 24 hours on sale the Xbox One sold over one million consoles, with two million sold within the first eighteen days, and three million worldwide towards the end of 2013. Like its predecessors, the console has not been as popular in Japan – it sold just over 23 000 units in its first week on sale, with one disappointing week in June 2015 resulting in only 100 units sold. The current console generation isn’t over yet though – perhaps Microsoft will make a surprise comeback!