Microsoft wants to enable Xbox One game preloads

[New Start Neil]

So get the **** on with it then...

"All I can say right now is that yes, we want this feature as well."

There's nothing worse than buying a game, then waiting 12 hours for it to download and install. Well, except for things like the bubonic plague and asteroids on a collision course with Earth, but let's not split hairs.

If only there were some way to start the download early, so that all you'd have to do at launch is unlock the file, eh? Hold that thought. According to Microsoft PR man Major "Larry Hryb" Nelson, game preloads are on the wishlist for Xbox One.

"All I can say right now is that yes, we want this feature as well," he commented briefly on Reddit last night, adding that "'all I can say right now' means exactly that."

News: Microsoft wants to enable Xbox One game preloads - OXM UK

 

[Munkey Boy]

My guess is the publishers may be the problem with this rather than the technical issues. Now PS4 are go, I expect platform parity won't be far away.

 

[amardilo]

Pre-loading would be useful. I can buy a game before it's out digital download it (I understand I may need a day one patch too) before release and play it straight away when it's officially out instead of waiting.

Other platforms do this so it would be good if MS could do it too.

This could also help MS with reducing server load on big launch days.

 

[Bigsmoke79]

I thought this was already all set to go? seems like abit away now with that comment from Larry!

MS really need to get cracking as Im seriously beginning to think I backed the wrong horse this gen big time!

 

[Munkey Boy]

I thought this was already all set to go? seems like abit away now with that comment from Larry!

MS really need to get cracking as Im seriously beginning to think I backed the wrong horse this gen big time!

LOL, I thought it was Sony that were lagging in the updates stakes! You can't win... It's coming, I'm sure.

 

[KirkSi]

Great news this. Now the PS4 has it they won't want to lag behind the competition in terms of features so I'm hoping this now gets bumped to the top of the list for sorting out. Can't say there's a game I really want coming out soon. Destiny will probably be the next thing I buy, 'till then I'm more than happy with the (digital) games collection I've got on my XB1

 

[kav]

Ironically, there are people in the Sony section complaining that preloading is not worth it to them and they wish Sony would focus their efforts elsewhere. These companies can't win with everyone. We'll just need to accept that they both have their roadmaps and they won't be identical but they will both deliver enhanced features in due course.

 

[KirkSi]

Ironically, there are people in the Sony section complaining that preloading is not worth it to them and they wish Sony would focus their efforts elsewhere. These companies can't win with everyone. We'll just need to accept that they both have their roadmaps and they won't be identical but they will both deliver enhanced features in due course.

I guess for people that are buying their games on disk it's a completely unwanted feature. For those of us that have gone entirely digital it'll be a godsend

 

[King Tones]

To some people Digital Downloads is the Devil's work

Nice to hear that the feature is coming, had no doubt about that. Hopefully Family share will follow shortly.

 

[Bigsmoke79]

Ironically, there are people in the Sony section complaining that preloading is not worth it to them and they wish Sony would focus their efforts elsewhere. These companies can't win with everyone. We'll just need to accept that they both have their roadmaps and they won't be identical but they will both deliver enhanced features in due course.

Agree totally just thought that with MS being company that actually wanted all digital this gen they'd have had pre downloading higher on their agenda.

 

[King Tones]

Agree totally just thought that with MS being company that actually wanted all digital this gen they'd have had pre downloading higher on their agenda.

You have to remember the internet exploded with hate towards MS when they announced their ideas for the future so no doubt a lot of stuff was taken out.
If they had focused on this as a feature at a cost of another then they would of just got more hate imo.
I wish they had stuck to their guns to be honest as I reckon we would of had great features for Digital Downloads, cheaper DD and family share and pre-loading. But then it might of just been me and a few other people playing a X1 in this section

 

[Det]

My guess is the publishers may be the problem with this rather than the technical issues. Now PS4 are go, I expect platform parity won't be far away.

Not sure on that. Sony touted the suspend resume and MS delivered it, Sony hasn't.

I think it's more to do with the companies priorities for updates than publishers. If it was just the publishers then Larry would have been in a position to say "It's coming next week" or whatever cuz then there would be no bottleneck to the process. My guess is an announcement will come at E3.

 

[Munkey Boy]

Not sure on that. Sony touted the suspend resume and MS delivered it, Sony hasn't.

I think it's more to do with the companies priorities for updates than publishers. If it was just the publishers then Larry would have been in a position to say "It's coming next week" or whatever cuz then there would be no bottleneck to the process. My guess is an announcement will come at E3.

I find it incredibly hard to believe that one of the biggest software companies in the world has a technical problem implementing preloads, that's the logic.

 

[Det]

I find it incredibly hard to believe that one of the biggest software companies in the world has a technical problem implementing preloads, that's the logic.

I didn't say they had a problem. I specifically said it's more to do with priorities. If it stricly publishers then Larry, again, could have said "It'll be here with the next update folks!"

 

[Munkey Boy]

I didn't say they had a problem. I specifically said it's more to do with priorities. If it stricly publishers then Larry, again, could have said "It'll be here with the next update folks!"

I wouldn't rule anything out just because they've not said it. Each update has had plenty of unannounced features. Shall we just wait and see rather than second guessing?

 

[Det]

I wouldn't rule anything out just because they've not said it. Each update has had plenty of unannounced features. Shall we just wait and see rather than second guessing?

At the end of the day we're both speculating. I'm not saying it won't happen, hell it'd be a lovely surprise.

It's just on this topic I suppose I'm more glass half empty because of his response and my analytical nature. I hope it comes soon. Though personally I'd rather see the digital marketplace first so it will always make sense to go digital for me. That would be my most favorite thing this gen if it ever comes to the table and if MS does it first then I doubt I'd play on my PS4 until they offer the same.

 

[New Start Neil]

My guess is the publishers may be the problem with this rather than the technical issues. Now PS4 are go, I expect platform parity won't be far away.

I think you may be right here.

Looking at Larry's actual quote...

"All I can say right now is that yes, we want this feature as well."

Now, the highlighted "we" was highlighted by me, but it does change the whole context of the statement IMO.

1. A casual "We want this feature right now" suggests that maybe his division of XBOX wants it right now, but perhaps there are other features that people higher up in MS have pushed up the priority list, at it's expense.
2. However, with the emphasis on we, it could imply that there are 'forces' outside of MS that are stopping it happening.

I guess it could also mean the same as option 1, in that it's just higher powers within MS that have placed a lower priority on it.

I'm actually not sure why publishers would/would have an issue with preloading anyway and here's why:

Let's say that preloading is fully available.
Then let's say that MS announce that Halo will be released on XB1 on September 1st 2014.
Then, let's assume that (to keep things simple) 10 million people decide at that point they will buy Halo.
Out of those 1 million people, 5, 000,000 decide to buy the disk (publishers and retailers rejoice) and the remaining 5, 000,000 decide to go DD (me for example).

Now, regardless of preloading, my decision to buy it via DD has already been made, and offering a preload isn't part of my decision buying process.

If preload is available, great, I'll preload it.
If's it's not, I'll buy in advance and download at midnight, in exactly the same way I've done with every single one of my XB1 games, as they're all DD.

So the publishers/retailers do not gain/lose from MS offering preloads on the XB1 (and the same applies to Sony & Nintendo here).

People that like/want a tangible product, will buy from Amazon, Game et al and those (like me) that want a DD version, will buy a DD version direct from the XB1 dash, regardless of whether I can preload it or not.

 

[King Tones]

It will come, dont think an announcement at E3 is needed really.
MS have been very good at making promises and delivering.
Party Chat was slated and they took that on board and it was changed and an update was rolled out bloody quickly. Got to give them credit they are listening and rolling out the updates. They are not making empty promises imo

 

[New Start Neil]

It will come, dont think an announcement at E3 is needed really.
MS have been very good at making promises and delivering.
Party Chat was slated and they took that on board and it was changed and an update was rolled out bloody quickly. Got to give them credit they are listening and rolling out the updates. They are not making empty promises imo

I'm sure it will, here's an interesting quote from Larry, posted on Reddit last month:

A better digital experience is on the roadmap. Preloads, unlock by timezone etc. are all things we want to roll out for Xbox One.
Those features are simply not available yet.

 

[King Tones]

I'm sure it will, here's an interesting quote from Larry, posted on Reddit last month:

I would be more than happy for them to announce Family & Friend Share for DD at E3.
Its the only downside to Digital Imo, I have loads of games and would be great if a fellow member wanted to try a game and I could just have them on my share even if its just a few hours demo of the game would be a start.

 

[KirkSi]

I'm sure it will, here's an interesting quote from Larry, posted on Reddit last month:

If you think about it pre-load in the publisher's interests (depending how it's set up). These days with the review embargoes lifting incredibly late, if you've pre-loaded the title earlier than the embargo has lifted (and you're charged at the time of initiating the pre-load) then they've already got your money in their pocket. If you pre-order a disk version and you're charged before the embargo has lifted then you can always return it unopened, but there are no refunds on the digital copy.

 

[STANNY08]

I'm actually not sure why publishers would/would have an issue with preloading anyway and here's why:

Probably something to do with the fact that when GTAV was available to download early, people hacked the files and revealed much of the story and content to the world.