Xbox One allows limited digital game and Gold features sharing

Last Updated: August 12, 2013

Xbox-One

Microsoft has just announced two pretty big benefits in terms of Xbox One functionality and features:

  1. When someone purchases and downloads an Xbox One game onto their console (digital games will be available from their release date, by the way) that game will be available to all users of that console, regardless of whether they are signed in to Live or not.
  2. Some of the benefits and features available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers will now be made available to every person who uses that particular Xbox One console at home (i.e. your non-Gold family members).

Sharing digital games

If the Xbox Live Gold subscriber in your house purchases and downloads a digital game, it will be available to all users of that console, no matter if they are signed into their account or not. Effectively anyone can play it on the console.

Also, if the purchaser of the game goes to a friend’s house and signs in, then his or her digital games collection will also be available on that console to play (and with the new smart downloading feature the Xbox One has this will be very useful!).

Sharing Xbox Live Gold benefits

We recently highlighted some features of Xbox Live/the Xbox One that would only be available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. This included things like DVR functionality, Skype and SmartMatch (“smarter” multiplayer game matching).

Well now it has been revealed that these benefits will extend to all users of a Xbox One console provided at least one of them is a Live Gold subscriber. Effectively the Gold subscriber can grant access to the Gold features to all other users in his or her home.

Additionally, when a Gold subscriber goes to a friend’s place and uses their Xbox One console, their Gold benefits will temporarily follow them, enabling everyone to access the Gold features for that gaming session.

Good stuff Microsoft, keep it coming!