Microsoft Will Bring Reputation Warnings to the Xbox One This Month

The concept of player reputation isn’t new to the Xbox universe; the Xbox 360 has had a reputation system in place for years. But it appears that Microsoft is making it a bigger part of its newest console, the Xbox One. Ars Technica is reporting that Microsoft will flip the switch on reputation warnings this month, forcing Xbox One gamers to play nice with others or risk being restricted on Xbox Live.

Xbox One gamers have had reputations since the console launched in November, though they’ve been largely for show. Once Microsoft begins putting them to use this month, problem players will receive warning alerts before their reputation begins to drop, as well as when it does.

A player’s reputation will fall into one of three categories: “Good,” “Needs Improvement,” and “Avoid Me.” The longer a gamer goes without receiving negative reviews from others, the better his or her reputation will be. Those who are generally well-behaved should stay firmly in “Good” territory.

Those who are consistently making the Xbox Live experience miserable for others, however, could wind up in the “Avoid Me” category, where they could be restricted from certain Xbox Live services; for example, Twitch broadcasting. The “Avoid Me” folks will also have a harder time finding a game in online matchmaking, since Xbox Live will do its best to keep them away from the “Good” and “Needs Improvement” crowds.

Microsoft has said that the system was built to identify and disregard abuse, so you shouldn’t worry too much about being categorized unfairly. Ratings from those who have actually played with you will be weighed more heavily than ratings from those who haven’t, and stats like the amount of time you played together will factor in, as well.

We’ll have to see how things go in the first few weeks; no system is perfect, but from the sound of it, you shouldn’t wind up with a terrible reputation unless you have a pretty consistent history of being a bad sport.

What do you think of the Xbox One’s reputation system? We’d love to get some of your thoughts below.