Xbox One: Details on Game Sharing and Gold from Microsoft

Microsoft have finally published the explicit details on how digital game sharing will work on the Xbox One. After they were forced into changing their plans for an always-online console, everyone was left in confusion as to what we will and won’t be able to do with our games.

Today, Marc Whitten, Chief Product Officer on Xbox outlined their plans for digital game sharing and Xbox Gold.

At home:

• You can (somehow) designate a console as your “Home” console.
• Everyone can sign in and play your digital games on your Home console, whether or not you are logged in.
• If you buy a digital game while signed in on a friend’s console, everyone can still play that game on your Home console.
• You can play games while they’re still downloading.

At a friend’s:

• You can download and play anything from your digital library on a friend’s console.

Now, Microsoft have been very specific to use the word “digital” here. Today’s statement does not address what will happen with any games you buy on a physical disc.

Whitten also addressed their plans for Xbox Gold:

• Your Gold membership applies to both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One
• On Xbox One, there are extended features known as “Home Gold”
• As long as you have a Home Gold membership, anyone using your Home console will be able to access online multiplayer features and entertainment apps like Netflix, Lovefilm, etc. whether or not you’re logged in.
• At a friend’s house, everyone can play online multiplayer or use entertainment apps, provided that you’re logged in.

Essentially, you now only need one Gold membership per console. This is excellent news for families who share a living room console. Nice one, Microsoft.