New week, new rumour. This time the information comes from Polygon’s super-secret sources “familiar with the system”. Previous rumours suggested that the second person to install and play a copy of a game would have to fork out around R500 to activate the title. This would be the case if you lent one of your games to a friend; he or she would have to pay for borrowing it. Second-hand game sales at retail stores, however, would be able to de-authenticate a game disc so that this fee is obviated for the second owner.

According Polygon’s sources, this activation fee (let’s call it the “borrowing fee” for clarity) doesn’t exist. Instead, the moment the game is installed on the second console, it is deactivated on the first console. This requires the Internet, and consequently all Xbox One games will be subjected to regular “spot checks” for authenticity. If no Internet connection is available, don’t expect games to work.

Polygon’s sources have also revealed that Microsoft is still finalising how this system will work. This new rumour at least potentially clarifies last week’s confusion regarding borrowing and lending games between friends. It has been suggested that Microsoft will provide details of their final second-hand games model prior to E3.

Source: Polygon