Like Jason mentioned in his post, Microsoft has abandoned their stance on restricting used games sales and requiring frequent online check ins.

I wanted to offer my second take, because, just like that, I’m interested in the Xbox One again.

No doubt that in the coming days, the vocal minority will voice their displeasure that Microsoft is essentially bowing to consumer demands, and not believing in the vision of their product. I guess you could take it like that.

But when the vision is stupid, I think it’s safe to say they made the right call. This way, consumers happy with online features will still get to

I imagine one of the factors that led to this decision was Microsoft gauging that the consumer outrage and abandonment would not equal the money saved fighting piracy. I’m okay with that. This way, consumers who appreciate the online functionality will still get to appreciate a large majority of the Xbox One’s features, while those less thrilled will get to play their console however they want. And that’s the thing – it should always be about empowering the audience to make that choice.

Is it enough of a move to change perception this late in the game? Probably. There are still months for Microsoft to build momentum prior to its holiday release. The 500 dollar price tag is still a hurdle, though it feels much more doable now that the other elements of the console are so much more attractive. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but this might be enough to swing me back to the Xbox side, which is where I really belong.

I guess the coming months will tell, but it’s hard for me to see this as anything but good news.