We want Microsoft to give users and app developers full file system access on all Xboxs

We want Microsoft to give users and app developers full file system access on all Xboxs

Started
November 5, 2021
Petition to
Signatures: 15,780Next Goal: 25,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Chronicoverride

My name is Chronicoverride. My friend Osaxely and I created and managed an app called MC Addons Manager (Extended) for Xbox which automated the process of importing custom addons for Minecraft on Xbox. The app is completely free and brought a new level of creativity to Minecraft on Xbox Edition as not everyone is able to spend money to purchase mods from the Marketplace. Using our app you can download any addon and import it on Xbox for free, including ones you made on your own. However, the last few updates for Xbox have limited our ability to function.

On 9/23/2021, OS version 10.0.22000.2286 (xb_flt_2109co.210920-1845) / Shell version: 2109.0.2109.10003 was released. This updated Microsoft Edge. Internet downloads were totally disabled in the new edge on console. No where in the changelog does it show any information regarding the disabling of downloads. I cannot find any response to the community's plea about the loss of this feature. Numerous bug reports and posts can be found about this. It has been over a month and this has not been fixed. 

Without the ability to download addons from the internet on Xbox, players were forced to download them on their PC's and transfer it to their consoles via USB to import them that way.

On October 21st, 2021 OS Version 10.0.22000.2655 was released and publicly disabled total system file access for all app developers on Xbox. This update rendered our app and many other apps totally useless. 

As app developers, it is critical for us to be able to use the runFullTrust and broadFileSystemAccess capabilities on Xbox so that we can have access to the console's file system and perform the required operations for our app to function but these capabilities were taken away from us. 

On October 29th, we launch MC Addons Manager Extended. This was a game version of our app since game developers were still allowed to access the file system on Xbox. Other apps on Xbox such as My Files Explorer made the same move as us. 

On November 5th, 2021 Microsoft removed MC Addons Manager Extended from the Microsoft Store. They have since rewritten their policies for Xbox to make General Browsing of the File System on Xbox against their policy for game developers. However while MC Addons Manager Extended was removed, My Files Explorer was not removed and uses the same exact capabilities that we have been removed for. We believe that Microsoft is targeting MC Addons Manager Extended specifically because it is cutting into their profits from the Minecraft Marketplace on Xbox. The fact that another competitor app with the same capabilities and functionality is able to remain publicly available on the Store. The only difference is that My Files Explorer is not a free app and generates revenue for Microsoft which is why we believe it has not been removed. This is discriminatory, wrong, and quite frankly, we believe it is illegal and are asking for fair treatment. The Microsoft and the Xbox Team are stifling the creativity of the Millions of Minecraft Players from the community with these updates and continue to make the Minecraft Marketplace on all consoles a monopoly. 

If you purchase a device regardless of whether it is a PC, Xbox, or any other device, when you purchase it, you own it. That means you should have the right to take it physically and digitally apart/upgrade and modify hardware, and download and install any type of software that you wish free of the manufacturers rules. However, this is not the case.

We are asking for the immediate removal of the new Microsoft Store Policies which prohibit app developers and game developers access to the entire file system on Xbox. We want Microsoft to grant app developers and game developers access to the runFullTrust and broadFileSystemAccess capabilities on Xbox. Lastly, we want Microsoft to reinstate the capability to download files from Microsoft Edge and to release the Chromium render engine for app and game developers to be able to use to build their own Internet Browsers and enable downloads themselves.

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Signatures: 15,780Next Goal: 25,000
Support now
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