Microsoft Allows Trade-In, Reselling Of Xbox One Games, Other Publishers May Not; Device Needs Internet Once In A Day

Users of the new Xbox One can trade in or resell their old disc-based games through retailers without having to pay any extra platform fee, Microsoft said on Thursday, adding that the new gaming console will require to be connected to the Internet connection at least once every day.

“Today, some gamers choose to sell their old disc-based games back for cash and credit. We designed Xbox One so game publishers can enable you to trade in your games at participating retailers,” Microsoft said in an official blog post. “Microsoft does not charge a platform fee to retailers, publishers, or consumers for enabling transfer of these games.”

However, the company said that other game publishers don’t necessarily have to follow the same rule and may prohibit reselling titles.

“In our role as a game publisher, Microsoft Studios will enable you to give your games to friends or trade in your Xbox One games at participating retailers. Third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers,” Microsoft said.

“Microsoft does not receive any compensation as part of this. In addition, third party publishers can enable you to give games to friends. Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners.”

Although Microsoft allows users to loan disc-based games to their friends, there’s a glitch. According to its product policy, users can only give a game to someone if the person has been present on the 'friends' list for at least 30 days. In addition, a single game can be handed over only once.

If you think that’s all the Redmond, Wash.-based company has to say, consider this:

“With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library.”

Microsoft said that if the console is unable to connect to the Internet, users won’t be able to play any games. However, users can still watch live TV and disc-based movies.

“For an optimal experience, we recommend a broadband connection of 1.5Mbps. In areas where an Ethernet connection is not available, you can connect using mobile broadband,” the company added.

Microsoft is expected to reveal details of its 15 exclusive Xbox One games at E3, the video-game industry’s annual conference, in Los Angeles, next week.