14 DAY TRIAL // Xbox division head Phil Spencer announced that it would be at the publisher's discretion whether or not to support digital pre-orders and pre-downloads for their games on the Xbox One platform.
The new digital service was announced during Microsoft's press conference event at Gamescom, yesterday, confirming that Forza Horizon 2 and FIFA 15 would be the first two titles to support the feature.
Pre-loading allows players to install a game they have pre-ordered on their console ahead of the title's official release, allowing the data to be accessible and the game playable as soon as the game is launched.
While players won't be able to access the games ahead of the official launch, this new feature allows them to circumvent any slow downloads that might occur on day one, preventing them from enjoying the title as soon as possible, by eliminating the wait times completely.
After the press conference, Spencer confirmed that the feature would not be mandatory for every Xbox One release, and that publishers would decide on an individual basis which games get it and which don't, but he mentioned that he was keen to see the reaction of console owners.
"It's easier for me to say with something like Forza, because we own that game and I can make the decision that that's going to offer the feature. Obviously we talked to EA about having FIFA in the program and we'll talk to all of our partners about how they want to structure the launch of their games," he told CVG.
"You have to remember that the publishers own their content on our platform. We go out and talk to our partners about what we're building and what features are available, but they get to decide what they want to use on our platform," he continued.
He stressed that he believed it to be an advantageous move for the digital ecosystem in general, and that he would definitely be a big proponent for digital pre-loading, because it was an important feature that everyone could possibly benefit from.
Regarding the Xbox One's first-party games, Spencer said that the team would analyze the feedback from the initial releases for the time being, before making a commitment.
"I want to see how gamers use the feature and if they're happy with it. It's kind of why we announced it. I wont call it a 'trial,' but we announced a couple of new games and I want to get feedback, just like anything on our platform.
"So before I say, 'yes, everything is going to work this way,' I'd like to do one before I do two, if that makes sense. But in general, I'd say it's a very good idea," he concluded.
Both Forza Horizon 2 and FIFA 15 come out in September this year.