Microsoft has finally broken its silence on some of the Xbox One’s most pressing issues, in a series of posts.  Some rumors addressed:

Always connected

Microsoft’s post stated that a persistent connection is not required as gamers can play on the Xbox One for up to 24 hours offline using their own console and an hour if gamers are accessing their game library in another console.  They cannot continue playing offline if they have not established a connection after the allotted offline gaming has lapsed, but will still be able to enjoy live TV and Blu-ray and DVD movies.

Long story short: Internet connection is needed for gaming, as some game publishers would probably only allow certain features or stages if you are connected.

Kinect always listening

Microsoft stated that Kinect will not be intruding in your privacy by listening to all your conversations.  When Kinect if turned off, Microsoft says that it will only be listening to a person saying “Xbox On” for the console to come to life.

So it’s actually listening to everything you’re saying as it needs to filter out the voice command for it to wake up.  Microsoft states that you can disable the voice feature completely and just turn it on manually if you’re that paranoid about people listening to your conversations.

Games

Games will be available in disc-based and online versions, and will both be available the day of the release.  With online versions, games will be held in the cloud so you can access them anytime you want to, on any Xbox One.  Microsoft stated that it supports the used-game market and it will not take anything from retailers, publishers and gamers when a used-game is sold back.

However, the software giant also stated that selling of games would have to be permitted by game publishers.  Which means that, though Microsoft won’t be taking a cut, game publishers will have their piece of the pie if they allow you to resell or lend it.

As for lending or giving games, Microsoft allows it but under two conditions: you can only give them to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days, and each game can only be given once.  But at least you can share your library to your family members, who can use them on other consoles.

Microsoft appeases used-game issue onto publishers

There are still some questions left unanswered, and still more questions surfaced.  Joining Kristin Feledy in this morning’s Live NewsDesk Show is NewsDesk Head Writer Winston Edmondson for his Breaking Analysis on Microsoft’s announcement and why it has put the issue of used-games on publishers’ shoulders.

“The publishers are in a position where it’s getting more and more difficult to make a profit on these games,” Edmondson explains.  “They spend huge portions on developing, it takes three years and longer to develop a game and when it’s released, if it’s a hit, great, they make money; if it’s not a hit, if it’s kind of a marginal success, sometimes they don’t make money.

“After the fact, you’ve got some individuals that would trade in a game to Gamestop and the publishers aren’t making any of that money.  The revenue that Gamestop and other used-game services make that’s money that’s kinda being taken out of the publisher’s hands, if you think about it.  It seems like this is an effort to keep publishers happy and have them continuing to publish games for Microsoft and the Xbox platform,” Edmondson stated.

For more of Edmondson’s Breaking Analysis on Microsoft’s announcement, check out the NewsDesk video below: