New report from independent military magazine Navy Times takes issue with connectivity and region-lock policies.
Independent military magazine Navy Times has published a new report blasting the Xbox One and its various policies that the publication describes as problematic for those on active duty.
The Xbox One will require users to connect to the Internet once every 24 hours, something Navy Lt. Scott Metcalf believes will be a “showstopper” for those serving downrange, in the field, or at sea.
A past report claimed Microsoft was working on a solution for those in Internet-free scenarios, though the company now says no such plan is in place.
In addition, the Xbox One will be supported in only 21 countries. Those stationed in major military regions like Germany, Italy, or Great Britain will not have a problem. However, service members in Japan, Kuwait, Afghanistan, or other areas are in a bind.
On top of this, since Xbox One games are region-locked, service members who import games won’t be able to play them on their local machines. And as Navy Times points out, those who buy games locally will be out of luck, as Xbox Live accounts are tied to regions.
The publication also calls out potential “serious” security concerns for the Xbox One, involving the system’s Kinect camera and/or microphone recording conversations not meant to be heard outside of the military. Microsoft has said that the Xbox One does not record idle living room chatter.
“Microsoft has single-handedly alienated the entire military,” naval aviator Jay Johnson wrote in a Gamasutra piece. “And not just the U.S. military–the militaries of the entire world.”
Johnson added that the Xbox One’s Internet requirement is “the single greatest sin Microsoft has committed against all service members.”
Xbox executive Don Mattrick last week offered an alternative for those without an Internet connection, such as military members and students.
“Fortunately, we have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity; it’s called Xbox 360,” Mattrick said. “If you have zero access to the Internet, that is an offline device.”
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