Early downloads and pre-orders coming to ‘select’ Xbox One titles

By Will Fulton August 12, 2014

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Microsoft’s Phil Spencer announced at Gamescom 2014 that select Xbox One titles will soon be available for pre-order and early downloads, letting fans jump right into the action as soon as the the games launch. The eligible games thus far include Forza Horizon 2 and FIFA 15, which are both coming out in September 2014.

Related: Console gaming will survive! Xbox One remembers its roots

As has been the pattern for this console generation, the announcement trails a few months behind the revelation of a similar feature for Sony’s PlayStation Store that allow pre-downloads on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 titles added to the store on or after May 20, 2014. It could be a case of follow the leader, but it’s more likely yet another indication of Microsoft’s willingness in this generation to be flexible and listen to the masses when feedback starts to pour in.

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Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

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