Xbox says Sharing is Caring

Hey Everyone, 

New Xbox One News: Microsoft confirms everyone in the same home can share digital games; Xbox Live Gold benefits can be extended to household and friends. 

Microsoft finally decided to give new details about digital sharing and Xbox live.

Recently in an Xbox Wire Post, Marc Whitten, Microsoft Chief Product Officer, said the company's ambition for the platform was to create a console that is personalized and social.

"It's about celebrating your individual tastes but also making it welcoming and easy for people to share," Whitten said.

Whitten claims that everyone in the home can share digital games with each other.  Any person can sign in with their unique gamertag and play, even if the owner is not signed in. Similar to physical games, users can also play digital titles without being connected to the Internet or Xbox Live, though Whitten said the experience will be "best" when connected. (What does that mean? Why would it be best?)

Whitten also wanted to make it clear that digitial titles can be played before the entire game finishes downloading.  (That's cool) When players travel to a friend's house, they can access their titles by signing into their console using their gamertag. Game purchases made on a friend's console will also be available on a user's home console. (Good! I better get my game, I paid for!) Interestingly players can choose to set their One to allow any users to make use of their Live benefits and when at a friend's house, users can log into to Live account and share those benefits. (Hmmm.....) 

Not only are Xbox One digital games sharable, but also Xbox Live itself. Through a new system called Home Gold, users can extend Xbox Live Gold benefits to others at no additional cost, Whitten said. ( I am intrigued by this. Does this mean if my brother buys his gold membership that I don't have to? Probably not. Or will the price of live go up?)

Gold features: Game DVR, SmartMatch, and entertainment apps like The NFL and Skype. 

Apparently Whitten states that owners of a 360 and One can seamlessly merge into one Live Gold account on the One. Gold benefits will be accessible on both consoles and gamers will be able to be logged into both consoles at the same time. (They better be! If I need to have two accounts, I was going to flip a table) 

The Xbox One launches in November for $500.00.