Today’s Xbox One reveal answered a few questions, but it didn’t address long-time next-gen rumors such as the always-online connection or the use of pre-owned games. That is, until Wired received a response from Microsoft regarding the system’s procedures for playing games.
On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play.
It is said that the installation allows one to play the game using the account from which it was tied to, even without having the disc present. However, if someone else got a hold of that same disc, whether through a friend sharing it or second-hand sales, they would be prompted to pay a “small fee” upon startup to install the game and play the game without the disc.
Microsoft has left us in the dark regarding the extent of this design choice though. We don’t yet know how Xbox One will react to those simply looking to play a game using the disc without choosing to install or pay the fee. We’ll have more on this news as Microsoft further elaborates on the features of the Xbox One.