[naner]

The only use for cracking Xbox One would be to enable piracy

That's not strictly true, cracking could also allow alternative os loading.

[qplex]

As far as I know the Xbox One needs to dial home before you're allowed to run a game.

So when the DRM servers are shut down, these devices will become just useless paperweights (if nobody manages to crack them).

[terramex]

Xbox One connects to MS server only once, on initial setup and then it can run disc games offline. Not sure about digital downloads.

[rkangel]

In the video he talks specifically about the following use case:

"User goes to Walmart, buys console and game. Drives to cabin with no internet. Sets up console and plays game".

Clearly the original design goal didn't require an initial phone home. That may have changed.

[reificator]

I don't buy disc games and I was playing games offline during the weird lull in the middle of a vacation.

[_ea1k]

That is a good point... I bet there is nothing else as powerful at the price point either. It would make an excellent Linux media server.

[wlesieutre]

Sony advertised this as a feature of the PS3 called "OtherOS" and then got sued when they turned around and removed it with a software update.

Settlement was supposedly $65 but it looks like affected people got a whole $10 for their trouble: https://www.reddit.com/r/PS3/comments/9izcpm/has_anyone_rece...

There were some clusters made out of PS3s, presumably the operators kept these from updating, but they wouldn't be able to replace failed units with new ones anymore: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/05/how-removing-ps3-linu...

[_ea1k]

I remember that. It seems like there were some restrictions that held back performance in OtherOS mode, though. It was too bad that they didn't keep it up.

[selectodude]

You couldn't get GPU access. You had full access to the Cell BE though.