Xbox One Will Still Require Day One Internet Connection

Xbox One will still require you to connect to the internet on day one.

There is one aspect of the Xbox One that may still hold some back from taking the plunge. If you don’t have an internet connection, the Xbox One might not be a good choice for you.

Here’s why: When you first turn on the Xbox One, it will require you to connect to the internet to download firmware patches and updates. After that, you’re fine to do whatever you wish offline.

Yes, Microsoft’s recent reversal of their DRM and online connection policies made for some happy campers on Team Xbox. Microsoft won’t be checking to see if you actually own the games you play daily any more, but you will need to keep the disc to play the game. Basically, after the initial setup, it will work just like the Xbox 360 does now, not requiring the internet connection at all.

Xbox One chief product officer Marc Whitten spoke with IGN about the day one connection, “That’s frankly just a difference in manufacturing schedules versus software schedules. We just wanted to be clear that that hasn’t changed, that you have to go online to get the software update for day one, then you wouldn’t have to be connected after that.”

It’s still not clear if the Xbox One will require a firmware update if the game you put in the console needs a patch to work properly. After all, developers and publishers don’t always catch the bugs before they deem the game ready for the public. Also, some games will require a connection if you plan on using Xbox Live for multiplayer games or DLC, but that’s common sense.

One option, as brought up by at least a couple of Microsoft executives by now, is to use your mobile phone to tether the console. However, you probably shouldn’t, as most mobile phone service providers will consider it a violation of your agreement and turn your service off if you’re not paying for the option.

Another option, and it’s a stretch, could be to bring your console to a public library or a place that offers free WiFi, and use that to connect your console on day one. It could be cumbersome, but if it works, at least you get it out of the way. And you might want to bring a small HDTV with you just in case.

It might be a pricey option, depending on the provider, but you might try getting a WiFi hotspot from a mobile provider if they service your area, and just pay for the month.

What do you think of still needing to connect your Xbox One to the internet on day one?