Xbox One: Microsoft "biting off more than it can chew"

May 22nd, 2013, 00:27 Posted By: wraggster

We talk to analysts about the new Xbox unveiling; David Cole fears Microsoft is "screwing up" its advantage but Pachter likes what he sees
[h=3]Microsoft[/h]microsoft.com


Microsoft has finally lifted the curtain on its next-gen console, the Xbox One. The unveiling seems to be getting mixed reactions so far, and that appears to be true of analysts as well. GamesIndustry Internationalcaught up with several leading games analysts immediately following the conclusion of the live-streamed event. With Sony first to announce its next-gen system back in February, and Nintendo continuing to struggle with Wii U sales, how would Microsoft position the new Xbox? From the looks of it, Microsoft is approaching the console market very differently than Sony and that may endanger its hardcore support.
"Just the name Xbox One says a lot. Microsoft desperately wants to have their system be the centerpiece of living room entertainment. Sony also wants that but they seem to be going in a much more game centric direction. In terms of which strategy will win we would put our bets on targeting gamers," said DFC Intelligence's David Cole. "The concern with Microsoft is that they are going after a need that isn't really there. Yes, it is convenient to have your game system play video but there are all kinds of devices that do that. If a consumer is putting that kind of money down they want the system that plays the best games."
"Overall there has to be some concern that Microsoft is biting off more than they can chew," Cole continued. "With no backward compatibility the Xbox One is starting from scratch. Microsoft had a huge success with the Kinect and that could be their downfall. The Xbox brand resonated primarily with a core gaming group but they shouldn't assume that means they will automatically stay around. Sony learned that lesson the hard way in the transition from the PlayStation 2 to the PlayStation 3."
"In the US Microsoft has a major advantage but they could easily screw that up very quickly...This will be a marketing game and right now Sony seems to be winning"
David Cole

Monthly data from The NPD Group shows that Microsoft's Xbox brand has been a huge success in North America, as the Xbox 360 has been outselling competing consoles every month. If Microsoft isn't careful, however, it could lose this momentum that it's worked so hard to build up.
"In the US Microsoft has a major advantage but they could easily screw that up very quickly. We only need to look at Nintendo's disastrous recent product launches for a lesson. This will be a marketing game and right now Sony seems to be winning," Cole warned. "Pricing is likely to be a key issue and that has not been addressed at all. Hardware price, Xbox Live as a mandatory subscription, bundles with entertainment providers and other cost issues will be the real key. We expect a lot of great exclusive content from both Sony and Microsoft but how they package and market it will be what matters at the end of the day. It is still too early to make any major calls."
Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter and EEDAR's Jesse Divnich were much more optimistic about what they saw from Microsoft today.
"I'm actually pretty happy with what I saw. I don't think this is going to be a poor seller; I think the odds of this thing selling poorly are pretty low unless it's a thousand bucks," Pachter said, adding that he envisions Xbox One retailing for about $400. He noted, however, subsidizing the hardware with cable providers is a likely scenario still, given the TV focus of the system.
While Cole believes that the lack of a core gaming focus could hurt Microsoft, Pachter sees it as a smart move to gain a larger market.
"It's very much an entertainment focused box. They only gave us a glimpse of games. 15 exclusives and 8 new IPs, that's pretty cool... But they kind of did exactly upside-down what Sony did. Sony was all games all the time and this was all entertainment, saying games would be at E3. The gaming press was really excited by the games focus by Sony, but I think this has more mass appeal and I think E3 is a games focused show so I think maybe that strategy is smarter," Pachter noted.
"The gaming press was really excited by the games focus by Sony, but I think this has more mass appeal...I think the mainstream press will be excited by this"
Michael Pachter

"I think the mainstream press will be excited by this. It is a nice interface. That's the thing I've been talking about for a while - if it gets rid of your cable box, then it's interesting. If the only thing you have in your living room is an Xbox, that's pretty powerful. Technologically it's doable right now," he added.
While Sony talked up how the PS4 will be the most open console ever, paraded Jonathan Blow out on stage at its unveiling and has been courting indies ever since, Microsoft didn't mention independent developers even once. The company's standing among indies in recent years has already taken a hit, and this probably didn't help any. Pachter, however, isn't concerned by the lack of an indie focus. "It's great for the development community but really not that many people buy them, so I don't know... I think Sony wants to win on game content and maybe they will but we don't really know what Microsoft has got yet," he commented.
For his part, even though we didn't see much for the core gamer today, EEDAR's Divnich still believes Microsoft will have plenty in store for its loyal audience, and the mention of 15 exclusives coming from Microsoft Game Studios is just the start.
"Our communication with Microsoft has indicated that they plan on investing more resources into first-party content than they've ever had before. This is important. It's clear that Microsoft is trying to deliver the total entertainment experience to consumers across all demographics and all entertainment verticals, but it's important that Microsoft not forget the core gaming consumer," he said. "Microsoft's dedication to continue to support those core gamers with exclusive new intellectual properties is a reassurance to all us gamers that the company comprehends the important role we play in driving the Xbox One's success."
"The Xbox One is an evolutionary step in the entertainment consumption experience. Microsoft has been battling for control of the living room since the launch of the original Xbox in 2001 and has since proven they've seen eye-to-eye with how their audience consumes entertainment content. The Xbox One stands to provide the total living room experience for the entire family, while at the same time not alienating the core gaming consumer or the core gaming experience. It's an impressive leap forward and one that will resonate well with the North American audience," he continued.
Ultimately, Divnich does not see a loser in the next-gen console race. Both PS4 and Xbox One should be viable consoles that gain plenty of third-party support and the end result will be a boost for the games industry.
"With the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 launching in similar timeframes, we believe this is a win-win for the industry and traditional console manufacturers. While competition often results in a winner and loser, we believe the near simultaneous launch will provide a benefit to the overall traditional home come market," he said. "The two marketing campaigns combined will act as an amplifier to why traditional home gaming is still relevant and an overall deeper immersive experience compared to other gaming technologies. While the market has witnessed some stumbling in the traditional space over the last 12 months, we believe confidence in traditional HD gaming will rise to pre-2010 hypes coming out of the 2013 holiday season."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...an-it-can-chew

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Microsoft tipped to take the streaming war to Sony

May 22nd, 2013, 00:23 Posted By: wraggster

Fresh rumours suggest that Microsoft will use tonight’s Xbox reveal to announce a fresh drive toward cloud gaming.
The Wall Street Journal says that Microsoft has, amongst other things, significantly explored the possibilities of cloud gaming. The tech could be used not only to play instant on-demand back-catalogue Xbox 360 titles but also to instantly upload gameplay footage to the internet.
Both of these features, of course, have already been confirmed for PS4.
Apparently Microsoft’s attitude to streaming games has been more cautious than Sony, which paid in the region of $380m to acquire cloud gaming service Gaikai.
Microsoft, however, has been hesitant due to the costs of maintaining such a network, though sources suggest that it has persevered with its investigations.
The Wall Street Journal’s story also names a number of other possibilities mentioned by various sources. These include the long-rumoured 3D gaming glasses and the ability for users to plug their Sky or cable box directly into the Xbox, bringing the TV experience into the Xbox ecosystem.
In fact, these rumours suggest that one of Microsoft’s goals with the new Xbox is to unite the TV and gaming experience. This way gamers would be able to contact friends or send invites even when they’re watching the TV.
There’s also the chance that users will be able to tune into friend’s gameplay sessions and watch them live.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/micro...o-sony/0115895

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Kinect, Snap Mode and voice commands central to Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:19 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft has shown off Xbox One's capabilities as an entertainment platform with the new interface.
Controlled by Kinect, the Xbox One allows owners to use voice commands to navigate menus and activate different apps.
The console is activated by calling "Xbox On", with Kinect recognising the user and taking them to their personal home screen. There is no more manual log-in or the need to wait for game updates.
The Home Screen is based on the user's activity, showing the games, music and movies they have been using most recently.
Swiping your hand through the air takes you over to the Trending page, which shows which titles are popular among both your friends and all other Xbox One users. Calling "Xbox Go Home" takes you back to the home screen.
Users will be able to activate TV, films and music with similar voice commands, as well as universal hand gestures, such as grabbing the air and moving your hands apart to make your chosen app full screen.
Xbox One also features instant switching between games, TV, music, movies and Internet Exporer - again, this is activated by voice commands.
Microsoft also announced Snap Mode, which allows Xbox owners to use multiple apps simultaneously. For example, players can watch a movie while browsing the internet on the same screen.
Finally, Skype will be included, allowing gamers to chat to other Skype users while watching movies or playing games.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/kinec...ox-one/0115904

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The three operating systems and improved controllers that power Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:18 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft has detailed the key tech innovations that will power the Xbox One.
Three operating systems will run inside the system – the Xbox dashboard, a kernel version of Windows and a third that allows for seamless switching between the two.
MS proudly claims to have eliminated wait times, with users able to seamlessly switch between the console’s many features simply by telling the Xbox with their voice.
The machine will be powered with 8GB or RAM (presumably DDR3, as there was no mention of DDR5 as is found in PS4) and house an 8-core CPU. A Blu-ray drive is included and MS claims the machine is “practically silent”.
Also included is a brand new Kinect sensor that has been completely redesigned. It can understand a more conversational tone of voice and can transfer an impressive 2Gb of data per second in 1080p, with a wider field of view than the old Kinect.
It can also track the controller in much the same way as we see with PlayStation move, and will recognise when a player is picking up the pad of a Smartglass device.
It was described as “rocket science level stuff”. Certainly, it seems a world away from the current Kinect and can, amongst other things, detect shoulder and wrist rotation as well as a user’s heartbeat.
There’s a new controller, too, with 40 “design innovations” introduced over the current design. “Dynamic impulse triggers” apparently offer feedback.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/the-t...ox-one/0115905

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EA Sports announces four games for Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:17 Posted By: wraggster

Electronic Arts' sports division currently has four games in the works for Microsoft's new console, including FIFA 14.
EA Sports' Andrew Wilson took to the stage during today's Xbox One reveal, announcing the new titles would be the start of a new "broad strategic partnership" between Microsoft and EA, a deal that will be detailed over the coming months.
Wilson confirmed four titles are heading to Xbox One, including FIFA 14, Madden 25, NBA Live 14 and a new UFC title.
All four will be powered by the new Ignite engine, which Wilson said allows developers to create "living worlds", utilise "true motion capture" and offer NPC players with "human-like intelligence".
EA Sports titles will also use Xbox Live to provide gamers with a daily stream of new content, as well as exclusive content for the hugely popular FIFA 14 Ultimate Team.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ea-sp...ox-one/0115906

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Ubisoft confirms Creed IV, Watch Dogs and four more games for Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:15 Posted By: wraggster

Hot on the heels of the Xbox One reveal, Ubisoft has announced it has at least six titles on the way for the new console.
The publisher's offering will include Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs, which will be available for Xbox One by the end of the year. Which sounds like "on day one" to us.
Ubisoft also promised "at least six next-gen games" for Xbox One within the console's first year on sale. No doubt some of these will be surprise reveals at Microsoft and Ubisoft's respective press conferences at E3 in a just under three weeks.
The six next gen games will include a mix of "new episodes of existing franchises, new IPs and digital titles". Any new IPs will be some of the eight that Microsoft has claimed are in the works for Xbox One.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ubiso...ox-one/0115913

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Xbox One owners can connect existing cable and satellite boxes via HDMI pass-through

May 22nd, 2013, 00:15 Posted By: wraggster

The impressive TV functionality demonstrated in tonight’s Xbox One reveal will be available to everyone.
Previous TV integration with Xbox 360 was dependent on specific agreements with suppliers and was mostly limited to the US.
This is not the case with Xbox One. Instead, users will be able to attach the console to their Sky, Virgin, BT or Freeview box via an HDMI pass-through. The console will them simply display its output directly, although Xbox-specific functionality will be overlaid.
Some of the more technical features demoed, such as the NFL interactivity, will need to be handled directly through Xbox Live.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/xbox-...hrough/0115914

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Zavvi taking Xbox One pre-orders for £399.99

May 22nd, 2013, 00:09 Posted By: wraggster

Retailer Zavvi appears to be the first to have gone live with Xbox One pre-orders.
It is currently asking for £399.99 for the new machine. It is also asking £49.99 a piece for a number of games – FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, Madden NFL 25, UFC 14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.
It should be noted that Forza 5 was tonight confirmed as a launch title for the machine. EA has said the same of Battlefield 4.
Zavvi is currently also charging £399.99 for PS4 pre-orders.
UPDATE: GAME is also taking pre-orders, although it has not confirmed a price. Instead it is accepting deposits for £20.
“Gamers all around the country have been eagerly waiting to find out what Microsoft will be bringing to the table – today we have our answer: not only is the Xbox One a really powerful piece of gaming hardware, it promises the next level in home entertainment," Game Retail's category director Charlotte Knight stated.
"The UK gaming community is obviously excited by the prospect of this next generation console and we can’t wait to see it in action at E3 next month!
“It is worth reminding everyone who’s interested in the Xbox One that many console launches have seen demand significantly outstrip supply, so we would urge anyone wishing to get their hands on a Xbox One from launch to place a deposit with our store teams or online as soon as possible.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/zavvi...399-99/0115915

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Confusion over Xbox One's pre-owned compatibility and internet requirements

May 22nd, 2013, 00:08 Posted By: wraggster

The new Xbox One WILL NOT require a constant internet connection. Sort of. But it WILL limit pre-owned. We think.
Wired reports that all games will require installation onto the console. Individual games will be tied to a user’s Xbox Live account. If a disc that has already been installed on another machine is inserted, users will be prompted to pay a fee to access it.
The same will apply even if a user simply lends the game to a friend.
This is quite probably the “change of model” that UK retailers were briefed on by Microsoft representatives last week. MCV understands that some retailers have said they will be willing to sell this 'fee' along with the pre-owned games themselves.
On the plus side, once a game is installed onto a console the disc will no longer be required to play it in the future. And as it will remain registered to a user's account it can be redownloaded at a later date.
Microsoft has however confirmed that the machine will not require a permanent internet connection, with Don Mattrick saying in a post-event interview: “Gamers – we got your back.”
It has also been confirmed that Xbox One will not function if Kinect is not connected to the console.
UPDATE: Wired has added an amendment to its story claiming that Microsoft has contacted them "to say that the company did have a plan for used games, and that further details were forthcoming".
Furthermore, Official Xbox Magazine UK editor John Hicks added on Twitter: "At no point when I was talking to MS did they say there was a fee for used games. They said used games were important and supported."
OXM suggests that if a user sells a game they will be able to deactivate it with Microsoft, eradicating the need for the new owner to pay for an unlock fee. The mechanism would still stop users lending games to their friends, however.
UPDATE 2: T3's deputy editor added the following on Twitter: "[MS] told me that once you sell a game, the license transfers in the cloud. So a new gamer activates it, it's removed from yours."
UPDATE 3: Microsoft has also issued a new statement regarding the console's online requirements. "Xbox One does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet." That presumably means online activation is required but then offline play is OK?
UPDATE 4: This is the official line from Microsoft: "We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to share later." Microsoft representatives are not clarifying whether a fee will need to be played to play pre-owned games, or how much that fee will be.
UPDATE 5: At this stage we can quite confidently conclude that there IS some kind of pre-owned limitation, or else Microsoft would simply confirm there is not. The shape of this limitation is less clear. Will pre-owned games need to be 'activated' via a fee? Can users 'deactivate' games they trade-in? Will this eradicate the need to 'reactivate' the game for the next owner?
UPDATE 6: MCV has now spoken to a Microsoft PR representative. The official line is as follows: “Xbox One will run pre-owned games. It will not block pre-owned games. We will additional details at a later stage.”
When asked if users would be charged a fee for playing pre-owned game the representative was not able to offer an official response on the record and reiterated that additional information regarding the use of pre-owned games would be revealed at a later date.
UPDATE 7: Eurogamer has offered this of its attempt to clarify the situation: "Our man on the ground was able to speak to corporate vice president of Microsoft Phil Harrison about this hot-button issue and was able to confirm that a second user can install a game from a friend's disc for a fee, though it's unclear how much this will be. Harrison also confirmed that several users sharing a console can access the same game at no additional charge, and Microsoft has 'a solution' for the resale market, though it's staying mum on those for now."
UPDATE 8: We've made some tweaks to the headline and intro para to reflect the updated information.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/xbox-...ed-fee/0115911

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Xbox One - One console, two strategies, three unanswered questions

May 22nd, 2013, 00:07 Posted By: wraggster

Xbox today unveiled a device pitched as 'Instant, Simple, Complete'. Alas, the announcement was anything but.
I and hundreds of other journalists will be hammering out their OpEds and perspectives on today's Xbox One showing.
Did Xbox manage to catch up with Sony's PR head start? What do we make of a device that is simultaneously a Windows and Kinect powered IPTV set top box and next-gen games console? What questions remain unanswered in the 19 day wait to E3?
For me, I think you need to first go back to the first page and ask what on earth an Xbox One is.
As with Sony's February unveiling of the PS4, Microsoft today fell into a number of jargon black holes, gravity wells ripe with puff and hyperbole that undermined years of R&D and a device that appears to be feature-rich and an instant hit with some powerful third-parties.
Xbox One is "alive" they told us. It is a "lag-free, instant experience". It uses something called 'snap' that lets you watch TV and search the internet at the same time. An actual moment passed where an Xbox exec said that the high-end body-tracking Kinect functions were 'games and science stuff'.
In the relatively dry run through some of the smart features, Xbox almost forgot to spell out its plan here.
And that's a shame, as the real message is wonderfully bullish: Xbox knows that in pure numbers terms it is the top dog in town. 360 has conquered a generation - a generation of hardware, and a generation of young men.
The device's successor is a set top box. It plugs into the established Xbox Live platform with added TV and DVR functions, has improved controllers (voice, motion and button) plus last but not least (although Microsoft talked about them least) high-end games with bigger graphical oomph.
Xbox One is a service sold in a box that pumps out content from the biggest names in entertainment: Paramount, ESPN, EA, Steven Spielberg and Activision.
As a proposition, that as a thing for retailers to sell and the games industry to make content for is the ideal heir to the 360 throne. Incremental improvements and ultra-populist content.

THE BOX UNDER THE TELLY
The TV element of Xbox One is hugely important, but I imagine some commentators may be sniffy about it at first.
Understandably: Microsoft spent almost 30 minutes talking about some of the least sexy next-gen console features ever seen. You can Goog--sorry, Bing for information about one movie while watching another; you can record TV and switch back and forth between live shows and the dashboard; the programme guide will show you what is 'trending' on Xbox Live. Well blow me down.
But look at it from Microsoft's point of view, and this is an attempt to broaden out a device that has already cut through pretty significantly, even displacing 'PlayStation' culturally as the catch-all mass-market go-to phrase to describe video games.
We know Xbox has a strong bloodline of games, supplied by third party and occasional* first party brilliance - so Microsoft must be thinking that it will leave the games to its partners.
Instead Microsoft will push hard into TV content, and 'entertainment' functions that add more reasons for retailers to sell, and consumers to buy, an Xbox One.
(*I know they also announced a raft of first party productions today. 15, with eight of them new IP to be precise. But Xbox's ten year history of big console game development is, truthfully, sketchy - and the one first-party game announced today, Quantum Break, was essentially fluffed with little to no explanation how this TV-game hybrid is executed.)

X STILL MEANS UNKNOWN
There are lots of unanswered questions, of course.
There was no mention whatsoever of how this platform operates as an ecosystem for developers. Is the Marketplace for games dead or alive? Is there still an XBLA ghetto? What about day and date digital releases? Maybe there are no changes at all to create continuity - we already know that gamerscores and achievements will carry over to the 'new' Xbox Live - but we just don't know yet.
And while Xbox One is not 'always on' and it's not deliberately designed to stop the preowned games market, it will likely allow 'second user fees' to be charged by publishers. It remains to be seen how that will be implemented, if at all. Retailers tell us they have been told zero, which strikes me as a PR blunder here - as these are the very people Microsoft should not be upsetting this early on.
Tensions and apprehensions about the answers are understandable, and Microsoft will have to push through a swathe of confused or angry reports today on those elements. That stuff is proof how much developers care about their products and how protective retailers are of their business. It's up to Xbox to put them at ease or show them what other opportunities are out there.
The fear of course is that in looking for its own opportunities - sidling up to Hollywood talent to make a Halo TV show, for instance - Xbox has forgotten the people that put it where it is, the people in the industry that had faith in the first place.
There's a 19 day wait until E3 and we're promised more information and may even get some assurance then.

FORMAT OVER FUNCTION
But the other striking impression I had from today's announcement wasn't what Xbox didn't say, but what it did say - and how that compares or contrasts to Sony's PlayStation 4 unveiling earlier this year.
I think the result lays bare the core strategy for the two devices. And while the aim is the same - create the best console, sell the most games and hardware - the approaches are almost polar opposite.
As the respective companies' own execs put it:
PS4 is "designed by developers for developers".
Xbox One is "designed by gamers for gamers"
My extra take:
PS4 is designed as a reaction to what Sony has done.
Xbox One is designed to secure what MS wants.
PlayStation 4, as we were told over and over, is about games developers of all sizes. It is a platform built as a direct answer to past foibles. It's easy to make games for, has a better online system, and has renewed developer support. It is a symbol of Sony redressing past sins in the games industry.
Xbox One is focused on Microsoft's ambitions beyond the games industry. It's friends with JJ Abrams, you know. It hired someone from CBS to make a Halo TV show. A man from NFL or some such, literally said that Xbox One means it is "going to be easier to play fantasy football with this device". I don't know who that stuff is for - but Microsoft thinks there is an audience to find for it.
(Media voyeurs may also find it interesting to compare how Sony and MS actually executed their announcements. Sony just flew everyone it could to one location in New York. Microsoft however arranged a string of briefings over the last few weeks; some were taken to MS HQ a few weeks ago - some retailers were briefed around the same time - while some flew over to see it live today and get hands on, some of us watched it at a screening streamed to a nearby location, the rest watched it at home in their pants. If you're a journalist and ever wondered where you sat on MS' press pecking order, well now you know.)

END OF PART ONE
Ultimately, however, today's details were just the first step in the Next One story.
At the livestream screening in London today, Xbox staff were keen to stress that the unveiling of the device was the 'First part of two part story'.
We have to wait until E3 for more detail on some actual games, the price and the date.
Right now, MS staff can be proud that months of secrecy and information control has lit up the games media like a Christmas tree.
But today felt like Christmas Eve, not Christmas day. And if Xbox One is "ready when you are", as claimed by Xbox boss Don Mattrick, then we are ready for more information.
Or as Microsoft's new friends in TV-land would say: To be continued.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/analy...stions/0115917

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Xbox One "does not target high-end graphics"

May 22nd, 2013, 00:07 Posted By: wraggster

A Microsoft developer has effectively admitted the Xbox's retreat from the console graphics war.
"We purposefully did not target the highest-end graphics,” GM of silicon development Greg Williams told Engadget, as spotted by CVG. “We targeted more as a broad entertainment play and did it in an intelligent way.
"The people who are here have clearly done them before and we've done them within Microsoft before. But this is one of the more strategic plays and in terms of the overall product, that is a clear differentiator, and the [hardware IP] that we've developed here is truly unique."
The console will be powered by a custom Microsoft 8-core CPU.
As pointed out in MCV's analysis of tonight's event, what we have seen from Sony and Microsoft point to one platform holder targeting the core audience with high-end gaming tech and another targeting the living room with an all-round entertainment solution.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/xbox-...aphics/0115918

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Destiny heading to Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:05 Posted By: wraggster


On its official website, Bungie has announced that Destiny will be an Xbox One game in addition to the three previously released formats – PS3, PS4 and Xbox 360.
Further details aren’t yet forthcoming, but Bungie has already promised exclusive content for the PS4 version.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/dest...g-to-xbox-one/

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Battlefield 4 coming to Xbox One, release date announced

May 22nd, 2013, 00:04 Posted By: wraggster

EA has revealed that Battlefield 4 will launch on October 29 2013.The game will be released on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/batt...ate-announced/

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Watch Forza Motorsport 5 on Xbox One

May 22nd, 2013, 00:03 Posted By: wraggster

Turn10′s new racer Forza Motorsport 5 was revealed for the first time at today’s Xbox One event. You can watch the first trailer below, and see the official shots here. We’ve also rounded up everything you need to know about Xbox One here.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/watc...5-on-xbox-one/

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Microsoft Unveils Xbox One

May 21st, 2013, 23:59 Posted By: wraggster

Today at a press conference leading up to E3, Microsoft unveiled its next-gen games/entertainment console, the Xbox One. Their stated goal for the Xbox One is to have a single device provide "all of your entertainment." One of the big changes is increased support for voice and and gesture input. You can turn the console on by voice, and it will recognize you and automatically login. Swiping to the side with your hand will browse through menu pages, and saying "Watch TV" will bring up the TV app very quickly. The same with music, internet, and movies. The new console also supports multitasking — for example, while watching a movie, you can bring up your web browser in a side panel and surf the web at the same time. There is also a built-in TV listings app that responds to channel names — saying "Watch CBS" will switch to CBS without giving it an actual channel number. By this point, you're probably asking: does it play games? Yes. Hardware specs: 8-core CPU/GPU, 8GB RAM, a Blu-ray drive, a 500GB HDD, USB 3.0, and Wi-fi Direct. (They didn't provide the CPU frequency, instead saying it had 5 billion transistors.) The Kinect sensor got an upgrade: 2Gbps of data capture has finer skeletal visibility, can detect minor orientation changes in hands and fingers, and can even calculate your balance and weight distribution. The new controllerlooks slightly bigger, and is designed to play well with Kinect. They've also updated Smartglass, the remote control software that runs on mobile devices, but they didn't explain much about it. The new Xbox Live will have 300,000 servers powering it, up from 15,000 this year — though, of course, no details were provided about server specs. The console will have native game capture and editing tools — essentially, a game DVR. Saved games will be stored in the cloud, and they have new matchmaking capabilities that operate in the background.Update: 05/21 17:50 GMT by S : Halo is getting its own live-action TV show, for some reason. They'll be collaborating with Steven Spielberg. Microsoft is also partnering with the NFL for live broadcasts and interactive experiences, such as split-screen Skype chats and fantasy league updates. Xbox One will be out "later this year." No price information. it will not be backward-compatible with Xbox 360 games.

http://games.slashdot.org/story/13/0...veils-xbox-one

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Next Xbox needs to be more developer-friendly

May 21st, 2013, 23:56 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft and Sony need to be to work to win back developers, says Fireproof head

The upcoming consoles from Microsoft and Sony need to be more developer-friendly if game makers who’ve migrated to mobile platforms are to return to them, says the co-founder of Fireproof Studios.
“The reality is that it is far, far easier to make games on mobile, even if it is arguably more competitive than the console space,” Barry Meade told the BBC.

“Frankly, many game developers are rightly wondering why on earth they would go back to Sony and Microsoft platforms to embrace once again a plodding pace of change, interminable bureaucracy, exorbitant fees and, let's be honest, frequent head-in-the-sand arrogance from the giants of gaming hardware.
“Sony and Microsoft have to become a lot more developer-friendly – otherwise devs like us will never go back.”
Fireproof is behind one of 2012 biggest hits in atmospheric iPad game, The Room, which earned a bevy of awards, including a the augural BAFTA for best British Game.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...loper-friendly

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Microsoft reveals new Kinect

May 21st, 2013, 23:55 Posted By: wraggster

New Kinect can read heartbeat, emotions, change screen and detect slightest wrist rotations

Microsoft has revealed the new Kinect that runs alongside the Xbox One.
The computing giant has now made the peripheral a key, central part of the its new console, with improved voice command recognition and motion sensing.

It revealed that the Kinect sensor can be used to flip between various entetainment services on the Xbox, such as TV, music, games and Skype.
Other television entertainment features include being able to use Xbox Guide and voice commands to find specific TV shows, channels and listings through voice commands and a visual guide.
The console giant said the new Kinect can now sense the slightest rotation of wrist or shoulder, balance and transfer of weight.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...als-new-Kinect

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Microsoft gambles on new franchises with Xbox One

May 21st, 2013, 23:54 Posted By: wraggster

15 exclusive games to be released on in the first 12 months, eight are original franchises

Microsoft is to gamble on new IP with the Xbox One after revealing the console will receive new and exclusive games in the first 12 months.
Speaking at the Xbox One reveal, head of Microsoft Studios Phil Spencer said in total, 15 exclusive games would be released on the console within the first year after launch.

Of these 15 games, he said eight of them would be brand new franchises.
Spencer said that Microsoft wanted the Xbox one to "build original content to break new ground in innovation and gameplay". He added that the console would have more new animated games than ever before, "along with all your favourite franchises on a new generation".
One such exclusive game and new IP is Alan Wake and Max Payne developer Remedy Entertainment's action title Quantum Break.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...new-franchises

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New engine shakes up Call of Duty Ghosts

May 21st, 2013, 23:54 Posted By: wraggster

All downloadable content will be available first on Xbox One

Activision is looking to shake up the Call of Duty franchise once more with the development of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
To be released on the Xbox One, CEO of Activision publishing Eric Hirshberg said that all downloadable content for the title would be available first exclusively on Xbox One.

The game will be powered by a new next-gen-tailored game engine, which Hirshberg said was designed to help Infinity Ward set new standards with the latest Call of Duty.
He added the game was a completely new spin-off to the franchise, featuring a new world, narrative and cast, and said the next-gen console was an "opportune time to develop a new experience".
The game will include new features such as the ability to slide across the ground, as well as dynamic maps in which users can interact with the environment, such as causing logs to fall down a hill.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...ty-with-Ghosts

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Microsoft lifts the hood on new Xbox Live

May 21st, 2013, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

New service to be powered by 300,000 servers, more than the entire world's computing power in 1999

Microsoft is revamping its online gaming service for the launch of its next console, Xbox One.
During today's Xbox reveal, the platform holder confirmed the new Xbox Live service will be powered by a whopping 300,000 servers. According to Microsoft, that's more than the entire world's computing power in 1999.

By comparison, the original Xbox Live was powered by 500 servers. This was upped to 3,000 for the launch of Xbox 360 and today this stands at 15,000 servers.
The impressive computing power will allow users to access music, movies, games and save files anywhere at any time.
Xbox One will also come with a special program that allows users to capture moments from their gaming sessions, as well as edit them and share them with friends.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-new-Xbox-Live

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