You Can Play Games as You Download Them on Xbox One

By Catherine Cai
published

Microsoft needs to take these steps in order to move consoles to digital.

Microsoft has recently confirmed that, just like Sony's PlayStation 4, the Xbox One will have the capability to play games after they've downloaded a certain number.

According to Polygon, the Xbox One was already revealed to be able to play games as they're installing. However, it was never stated whether or not this would include Xbox One games that were being downloaded.

Considering that Microsoft's original approach with the Xbox One and its online capabilities were to leave behind discs, steps like this are exactly what the company needs to take in order to wean console users off  physical media.

Catherine Cai
Topics
Gaming
16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • nevilence
    I will always want the option of physical media, my preference there, but the ability to play games as you download them is always a good thing, much like wow or rift (dont know of others but I am sure they exist)
    Reply
  • mister g
    This reminds me of the installation of Halo 2 on PC. I could start playing after the initial files were installed, no need to wait for the full game to finish installing. I forget what it was called but it was the only game I've ever seen be able to do that. I guess Microsoft finally made it work on the Xbox One.
    Reply
  • stevejnb
    11178903 said:
    I will always want the option of physical media, my preference there, but the ability to play games as you download them is always a good thing, much like wow or rift (dont know of others but I am sure they exist)

    While I do entirely agree to you, I know a lot of people who play 90% of their games through Steam. When you reach that point, you really could get by without physical media... For me, I have a collection of hundreds of games dating back to the mid 80's and I will almost always opt for physical copies if given the choice.

    I also ask you... Before you - not you personally, nevilence - take the stance of "No physical media, no platform"... Not only should you consider how much you use Steam or similar services (heh) for gaming, but also, what are you going to do ten years from now when physical media is not the primary way in which games are purchased and played? This is the future, and likely the not-too distant figure. Get ready.
    Reply
  • althaz
    This was mentioned in the very first XBox reveal...
    Reply
  • Evan20x
    Download as you go is very convenient for those with slower connections or if they game file is a very large one at that.

    Back in 2005 when Guild Wars launched the download as you go saved my butt because I still had dial up at that time and I thought that was one of the coolest features ever.
    Reply
  • kinggraves
    So what, is this supposed to be a feature? I mean it's handy and all, especially if you have a slow connection, but just wait a little longer and get it finished. We live in such a demanding society these days that people can't say "I'll just play this tomorrow". There's only two ways that MS or anyone will truly push a digital platform. The first is to drop prices or have huge sales like Steam has to entice buyers. The second is to change the laws so that the digital content is property like eveything else and not just a "license" to use. I'm not going to pay the price for property that I can loan or resale and get a license that can be taken from me at will.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    What is the purpose of physical media? Every aspect has been countered in Steam except stuff they put in boxes like posters, hell even as a backup I can copy the Steam folder to another HDD - this system is pretty much the same, this is 2013 guys, physical media is last century
    Reply
  • cats_Paw
    This is bound to go badly. Most games made like that always have issues of lag and many times screw up your HDD. The only game I recall that didnt made a catastrophy out of this system was Guild Wars.
    Reply
  • Jerky_san
    You can also hit your bw cap that much faster..
    Reply
  • demonhorde665
    I like physical media , a the same time , I own over 80 steam games all digital (with a few that I bought the disc but still require steam). that said I'm, not really against all digital , however I'm not exactly for it either. the reasons ... read on

    1. eliminating physical media will have an enormous impact on the US economy. distributors make their bread and butter at the ware house floor where physical media is created in mass quantities . remove physical media and these manufacturing plants (at least the ones still running in the US) will be shut down over night. That's thousands of jobs gone in the blink of an eye.

    2. Destroy physical media and you can kiss mom and pop used game dealers good bye as far as current gen tech is concerned and yesterday's generations will not sustain the vast quantity of these shops we have today. yet again the job market narrows even further.

    3. the lack of money flowing into said phsycial media outlets will create a "money vaccum" in the US economy. where before countless gamers were throwing money into the economy via used games, they no longer will be. The idea being that with no used games , there will be less game purchases all together. this also has the double effect , of leaving many developers out in the cold as gamers hold their cash for bigger title buys.


    Bottom line .

    I see a bleak future for gaming and as the cost of gaming continues to sore , with no physical media I could even see a industry crash occuring again like it did in 1983. hardcore gaming will slip back into the realm of the geek. while main stream gaming focuses on casual indie games that don't cost an arm and a leg for an hour of fun.
    Reply