Xbox One online games store is live

November 21st, 2013, 23:27 Posted By: wraggster

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Xbox One will have a native YouTube app at launch

November 21st, 2013, 00:39 Posted By: wraggster

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Updating an Xbox One with a USB stick is a three-step process

November 21st, 2013, 00:29 Posted By: wraggster

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Microsoft opens official eBay store

November 21st, 2013, 00:04 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft has launched its official eBay store, offering new and refurbished Xbox and Surface products alongside accessories.
The store, which currently is only available on the American eBay site, advertises free shipping for all the products.
Among the other benefits listed is the refurbishment of products by Microsoft itself, which also include a one year warranty.
On the launch of the store, Microsoft stated: “Our customers continue to tell us they want more choice, value and service and appreciate how our stores connect them to the best of Microsoft. This delights us to no end.”
Prices are equal to that of Microsoft’s own online store – for example, a new Surface Pro with 64GB of storage is $699 on both.
Accessories offered include controllers for the Xbox 360, covers for the Surface and mice and keyboards for Windows PCs.
Microsoft has not yet confirmed whether the store will be making its way to the UK.

http://stores.ebay.com/Microsoft-Store

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Tesco stores offering Xbox One first come, first served

November 20th, 2013, 22:02 Posted By: wraggster

Midnight opening for those without pre-orders at over 100 stores
[h=3]Tesco[/h]

Tesco is offering consumers who missed out on an Xbox One pre-order the chance to buy a console on a first come first served basis at over 100 of its Extra stores.
"The launch of the Xbox One is a massive event for millions of gamers around the world and the console is sure to top many Christmas present lists this year," said home entertainment manager Stephen Owusu.
"The last Xbox console - the Xbox 360 - was launched eight years ago so there has been a lot of expectation and talk from gamers about this latest version. If the US launch is anything to go by these will fly off the shelves. We have worked closely with Microsoft to ensure we have a good quantity of initial stock but we will be getting more as we get nearer to Christmas."
Online retailer Amazon is currently warning consumers who pre-order today that consoles may not be delivered before Christmas, while GAME is guaranteeing consumers who order now the Xbox One Standard Edition in time for the holidays.
Tesco's Chesterfield Extra, Coventry Arena Extra, Dundee Extra, Gallions Reach Extra, Blackpool Clifton Extra, Mansfield Jubilee Extra, Redditch Extra, Cheshunt Extra, Slough Wellington Extra, and Watford Extra stores will also sport special Xbox One signage for the launch.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...e-first-served

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Xbox One Source promotion misleads, misfires

November 20th, 2013, 21:56 Posted By: wraggster

Marketing is full of lies, half-truths, and attempted manipulation. It's pretty much a given at this point, and there's not a whole lot to be gained from expressing outrage that your neighbors won't really envy your new minivan, or that Axe shower gel doesn't really make women sexually available to any man with a pulse. But if consumers cannot realistically expect honesty from the marketing they consume, they should at least be able to get a modicum of respect.
This is where the gigantic Xbox One Source campaign from Microsoft Canada falls short. Even if you're not in Canada, you might have seen coverage of the campaign, which has revolved around novelty-size Xbox Ones (supposedly 40 feet in length) appearing first in a parking lot in Vancouver, then in Montreal, and most recently in Toronto. As far as attention-getting stunts go, the campaign has been tremendously successful, with coverage on The Huffington Post, The Verge, and a host of gaming sites and blogs. But when it comes to respecting its audience, the campaign has fallen short.
According to Microsoft Canada's press announcements, "the Canadian Xbox Live community can come together to power on and unlock incredible one-of-a-kind experiences and rewards by pledging their gamertags to the project known as One Source. Every gamertag pledged will contribute to unlocking these experiences."
My wife and I were in Montreal earlier this month in advance of the Montreal International Game Summit, so we decided to check out the second leg of this campaign, a plus-sized Xbox One in a parking lot on De la Montagne street between Sainte-Catherine and René-Lévesque one Saturday night. As far as "one-of-a-kind experiences" go, it was underwhelming. It was a giant box in a parking lot with a couple of cling stickers on it, one for the Xbox One logo and another for the disc slot. I wondered whether this was the same monstrosity Microsoft unveiled in Vancouver, or if it was more cost effective to build a second one on the other side of the country.
It's a good thing people pledged enough gamertags before the scheduled reveal time!

We were flagged down by one of the Microsoft street team. The man insisted that he needed our help, that something would happen with the box as soon as they had enough e-mail addresses from passersby and they were ever-so-close, with 92 percent of the required support needed already committed. (He made no mention of gamertags.) When they hit the vague requisite amount of "support" from people, something wonderful would happen with the Xbox One, we were assured.
The idea was absurd, as if their big marketing event couldn't go forward if people didn't give them enough email addresses. No, they wanted contact information, and they weren't bothered collecting it under false pretenses. We were told that by giving them an email address, we would be sent a link that would allow us to enter a contest for a fabulous trip to exotic Toronto for the launch of the Xbox One. That email arrived two weeks later, four days after the deadline had passed for entries to be eligible for that Toronto trip. On top of that, the only means of entry were to either go on Xbox Live and enter one's gamertag (my wife has none, and has no wish to become an Xbox Live subscriber) or to write down her personal information and "a 50-word story about what excites you the most about Xbox One®," and then mail it in, quite possibly putting its delivery after the deadline for even the lesser prizes.
That doesn't sting so much, considering we live in Toronto and see how exotic it is every day (insert Rob Ford joke here), but it's still galling to have our personal information solicited under false pretenses. We were never told at the event that we would have to sign up for a separate service. And we certainly weren't told that we would never have a chance to win the trip because they wouldn't e-mail us instructions on how to enter until half a week after their own deadline.
It didn't help that the promotion was--in addition to deceptive--insulting to our intelligence. Having already known what happened with the Vancouver Xbox One (a bunch of zombies and a dude in coveralls jumped out to promote Dead Rising 3), I was fairly confident that this Montreal Xbox One would open up to reveal a meaningless cosplay exercise for another Xbox One launch title, with people able to go into the box and briefly try the system in the aftermath. I guessed Ryse; it turned out to be Forza (Crytek's launch exclusive wound up being the big reveal for the campaign-capping Toronto event). But knowing the rough shape of the endgame for this Xbox One, I knew it was by no means an event left to chance. There was no way Microsoft was going to pay a slew of centurions (or ersatz F1 racers) to sit in a giant Xbox One all weekend just waiting until they reached some arbitrary number of email addresses collected (or "gamertags pledged," as Microsoft put it).
From a marketing perspective, it makes no sense to play fair, to abide by the numbers, especially considering Microsoft allowed people to pledge their gamertags online. If the support goal were reached during off-peak hours, or with nobody around to see, was Microsoft going to have those paid actors going to jump out and run through their skit anyway? If that goal were never reached, were they going to cancel the promotion entirely?
Barbarians emerge from the Xbox One in Toronto.

Of course not. Instead, you're going to send the press a heads up on Saturday night at 10 p.m. saying that, "Based on the current rate of pledges, we anticipate the console will power on just before 1:00 p.m.!" You're going to control everything. You're going to make sure there's a crowd around so your scattering of press photographs look good, so people are convinced that you made an "event" out of nothing, out of a large black box in a parking lot having a couple guys dressed like race car drivers walk out next to a fast car and a flurry of confetti.
My anger here is not at Microsoft's marketing for wanting to get the most bang for its buck, or for wanting to control the situation. It's at the ham-handed attempt at engagement. It's at the way they tried to manufacture a virality to the campaign, telling them their participation in the promotion was somehow key to the big pay-off. This perfectly valid idea--of giant Xboxes showing up across the country and revealing their mystery contents one at a time--could have been structured in a way that didn't demean its target audience, that didn't treat them as a faceless mob of unthinking saps. But because someone didn't think about it, or thought about it and decided it didn't matter if they lied to their customers, or just wanted to cross "user engagement" off the project checklist, we're stuck with this thoroughly depressing exercise instead.
Given the impressions the campaign received (and the ones this article will generate for it), Xbox One Source will likely go down as a success. Despite that, it saddens me to think that such disrespectful treatment of the consumers the company relies upon would be rewarded on any level. The way this campaign has been executed is not just insulting to its fans' intelligence; it borders on contempt. Again, that might be common to much of the marketing we are subjected to on a daily basis, but this sort of shoddy treatment of customers should be treated with disdain and indignation, not acceptance and resignation.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...leads-misfires

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Microsoft teases potential Quantum Break reveal at VGX

November 20th, 2013, 21:45 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft Studios corporate vice president Phil Spencer has provided brief updates on two new Xbox One IPs, Remedy'sQuantum Break and Insomniac's Sunset Overdrive.
Spencer told Polygon that he saw Quantum Break on a trip to Europe earlier in November and was attempting to organise a new gameplay reveal in the near future, possibly during Spike TV's VGX event - formerly the Spike TV VGAs - on December 7.


"We did a pretty deep dive [on Quantum Break] last week while we were in Europe, and I'm feeling really good about the creative," he said. "It may be before the end of the year when we talk more about what the story and the gameplay is.
"We have a pretty good piece that I'm trying to coerce people into putting out before the end of the year ... showing the full Remedy vision, with [creative director] Sam Lake giving a pretty good description of how the game works with some new gameplay footage. Maybe VGX would be a good place for that."
Spencer also said of Sunset Overdrive: "We're playing a full section of the game and feeling really good about the open world gameplay that they've put together. I like the investment around new IP at the launch of a new console."
While Sony revealed a new Uncharted game on the eve of PS4's North American launch, Spencer told Polygon that Microsoft isn't planning any key game announcements in the run up to this Friday's Xbox One release date. However, he again pointed to VGX, saying: "We'll have some things to say there."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...reveal-at-vgx/

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200 Xbox One Day One consoles being sold at GAME Boxpark on Thursday

November 20th, 2013, 21:44 Posted By: wraggster

GAME's Boxpark outlet in Shoreditch London will be taking 200 final orders for Xbox One Day One Edition consoles on Thursday.
Priced at £429, Xbox One Day One Edition consoles come with a commemorative controller, a code to unlock an exclusive Achievement, plus a digital copy of FIFA 14.
GAME said on Twitter: "From 12 noon tomorrow, @GAMEBoxpark will have 200 Xbox One Day One Consoles with FIFA 14 available to order.
"Consoles will be available on a first come, first served basis - once 200 people are queued up or have ordered, that's it!
"If you get a console, you'll also be invited to pick it up at midnight at the official Xbox One launch after a VIP evening!
"First come, first served, so queue safely! @GAMEBoxpark and ourselves will tweet when the queue is full."
The Xbox One release date is this Friday, November 22 in 13 markets. The Xbox One price is £430 / $500 / $500. Check out CVG's Xbox One launch unit verdict.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...k-on-thursday/

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Region-locked voice control handicaps Xbox One imports

November 20th, 2013, 21:43 Posted By: wraggster

Kinect-enabled voice control on Xbox One is limited to the region the device is sold in, in a move which limits the appeal of importing the system.
The console will support voice commands for five countries at launch - the US UK, Canada, France and Germany - meaning that, on release day, Microsoft is supporting three languages.
In August, Microsoft delayed the Xbox One across eight countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland. Eager customers who want to import the console to those regions will not be able to use the Kinect functionalities unless they are fluent in English, French or German.
Albert Penello, lead product strategy executive at Microsoft, confirmed on NeoGAF that Xbox One voice commands are locked to the country the system is sold in. It is believed that Microsoft is working to expand the number of countries that voice commands are supported in.
In CVG's Xbox One review, the Kinect functionality was praised in particular. "Voice control is not exactly a fresh idea, but this is the first time a games console can be extensively navigated without moving a finger or thumb," Andy Robinson said.
Xbox One launches in select European territories and across North America on November 22. Microsoft has not announced release dates for the delayed markets.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...x-one-imports/

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All the Xbox One launch games and their install sizes

November 20th, 2013, 21:11 Posted By: wraggster

The Xbox One launches with a number of games available to download. Now the embargo on the console itself has lifted, we learn each title's install size and price in pounds.At the time of publication prices for all but a few first-party games aren't available. We do, however, have some downloadable content prices. More on that later.First, the big list of Xbox One launch games (if the size and price isn't listed, it was unavailable for us - this will of course change for you when the console launches on Friday 22nd November).

• Angry Birds Star Wars: 1.81 GB
• Assassin's Creed 4: 20.25GB
• Battlefield 4: 33.66GB
• Call of Duty: Ghosts: 39GB
• Crimson Dragon: 6.88GB
• Dead Rising 3: 19GB
• FIFA 14: 8.7GB
• Fighter Within: 9.22 GB
• Forza 5: 31.76 GB
• Just Dance 2014: 22.97GB
• Killer Instinct: 3.25GB - free
• Killer Instinct Ultra Edition: 3.25GB + 7.51MB - £31.99
• Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason: 3.09GB - free
• Lego Marvel Super Heroes: 6.48GB
• LocoCyle: 13.17GB
• Madden NFL 25: 12.51GB
• NBA 2K14: 43.14GB
• NBA Live 14: 9GB
• Need for Speed: Rivals: 15.35GB
• Powerstar Golf: 3.92GB
• Ryse: 34.94GB - £44.99
• Skylanders Swap Force: 15.72GB
• Xbox Fitness: 252.13MB - free
• Zoo Tycoon: 2.62 GB
• Zumba Fitness World Party: 24.14GB

Like the PS4, the Xbox One includes a 500GB hard drive. Unlike the PS4, the Xbox One does not feature an overall storage option to tell you how much space you have left.Now, on to downloadable content.As previously revealed, Ryse: Son of Rome features micro-transactions. The game includes Booster Packs similar to those in FIFA Ultimate Team. You can buy these packs, which include armour items for use in multiplayer, with in-game currency and real world currency. Developer Crytek has defended the system before. Here, we can reveal how much in-game gold will cost you in real-world money.Ryse in-game gold:

• 1000 / £0.79
• 2000 / £1.59
• 3000 / £2.39
• 5500 / £3.99
• 11,500 / £7.99
• 25,000 / £15.99

Ryse also has a couple of add-ons available: the Praetorian/Damocles Gladiator Skin (7.51 MB / £3.19 each), and a Season Pass (7.51 MB / £15.99).Now on to fighting game Killer Instinct. The fighting game is available as a free download, but this version includes just one character: Jago. The Ultra Edition, which adds an extra 7.51MB to the 3.25GB download, costs £31.99. This includes access to all eight characters and a raft of skins and accessories.If you don't fancy the extra costume stuff but want all the characters from the off, the Combo Breaker pack is for you. It costs £15.99. If you want to buy characters separately, Sabrewulf and co are available for £3.99 each, and each is an 8.18MB download.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...-install-sizes

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Xbox One: what you get for Xbox Live Gold

November 20th, 2013, 21:09 Posted By: wraggster

Like PlayStation 4, Xbox One requires a subscription to its premium service to play games online. But what, exactly, do you get with Xbox Live Gold?An Xbox Live Gold membership costs £40 for 12 months, and extends across Xbox 360 and Xbox One. So, if you're an existing Xbox Live Gold member, there's no need to pay any extra.Gold gives you access to a raft of the Xbox One's features and apps, including access to HD movies and TV shows, live events, music and sport. Gold also grants access to Internet Explorer and Skype.When Microsoft says Xbox Live Gold grants access to multiplayer gaming on Xbox One, what it means is you have access to the new Smart Match system, used to pair players based on skill, language and the Xbox One's new reputation system. Microsoft points out that on Xbox One you don't have to wait in a lobby while a match is found - you can play a game, watch TV or listen to music while Smart Match does its thing, then jump in.As for apps, it's a similar situation on Xbox One as it is on Xbox 360: the likes of Netflix, Internet Explorer and Skype all sit behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall. It means we find ourselves in the curious situation of having to pay to access Skype - a Microsoft-owned company, brand and technology - on Xbox One, whereas it's free to use on competitor Sony's PlayStation Vita. And on your smartphone. And on your PC.Gold also gets you access to OneGuide, which displays a customised view of what's on TV (not out in the UK until 2014), and the in-built GameDVR (used by Upload Studio to edit and publish game capture to the internet).Games with Gold is confirmed for Xbox One, but what will it give you?

Microsoft recently confirmed its intention tocarry the Xbox 360 Games with Gold promotion over from Xbox 360 to Xbox One, but it is yet to announce details of what, exactly, subscribers will get. Whatever the case, it seems free games will come to those who subscribe.Here's what Gold gets you on Xbox One in a handy list:

• Multiplayer gaming
• Premium entertainment apps
• Internet Explorer
• Exclusive deals and special offers, including discounts
• OneGuide
• GameDVR
• Skype
• SmartMatch

And here is the list of third-party Xbox One apps due out during the console's launch period, all of which you'll need Gold to access (note, NOW TV won't be out until summer 2014, and Twitch streaming was delayed to the first part of 2014):

• 4oD
• Amazon\LOVEFiLM
• blinkbox
• Crackle
• Demand 5
• Eurosport
• Machinima
• MUZU TV
• Netflix
• NOW TV
• TED
• Twitch
• Wuaki.tv

Oh, and don't forget Xbox Fitness, an app that comes with Xbox One. Xbox Live Gold gets you access to it for a limited time.What do you get without an Xbox Live Gold subscription on Xbox One? Not much. You can play games single-player only and watch Blu-rays and that's about it.


http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...xbox-live-gold

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Should Battlefield be an annualised series?' mulls EA

November 20th, 2013, 21:05 Posted By: wraggster

Call of Duty made bonkers bucks this generation by being an annualised series developed alternately by two studios: Treyarch and Infinity Ward (and later Sledgehammer with Raven helping out).Could Battlefield do the same, an analyst asked EA?"The challenges are you've got to most likely do it out of two studios because it's hard," answered chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen at a UBS conference (transcript bySeeking Alpha). "It's a two-year project.""Battlefield takes us about two years to develop and so you want to make sure that you're sharing talent across studios, so you keep [the] core talent of the product and the experience for the consumer there. You also want to be really careful that you don't destroy the franchise along the way. You got to make it exciting and different, but at the same time you want to make sure you maintain a great franchise."And Battlefield is a product that doesn't just sell once," Jorgensen reminded us, "it sells for 24-months associated with not just Battlefield, but all the additional Battlefield Premium activities that the consumer wants. So you've got to be careful that you don't destroy some of that tail that is on the Battlefield product."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...eries-mulls-ea

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Ballmer: You can trust Microsoft with your privacy

November 20th, 2013, 20:47 Posted By: wraggster

Steve Ballmer, in his last shareholder meeting as Microsoft CEO, gave a rousing response to concerns about his company's devices - its phones, tablets, computers, consoles and Kinects - invading people's privacy.Fears that a more capable Kinect camera would snoop on Xbox One owners, gathering personal data, have been rife ever since the console was announced."We are very focused on the issues with respect to government intelligence gathering, whether it's this government in the United States or governments around the world," Ballmer said (transcript on Seeking Alpha)."We all want to live in a country and a world that's safe and secure, but it is a business imperative that we retain the customers' trust in every country around the world."Trust us..."

"Hence, we have sued our own government so we can publish more information, share more about what kinds of processes we do have. And we are focused on engineering improvements that will further strengthen security, including strengthening security against snooping by governments."The second part of the answer concerned how companies behave."We take a lot of pride at Microsoft about the care we take to respect the privacy concerns of our customers," Ballmer said. "Across our industry there are some [who] seem rather bent on trying to use every single piece of personal information they can get so they can target you with more ads."And there are a lot of things we don't do. We have said we don't read your email so we can send you ads; we don't scan your files on SkyDrive and use that to target ads; and you are going to see from Microsoft what we all hope will be a continued commitment and a strong track record that makes clear to consumers that if they want to look for a single provider with whom they can trust their most personal information, they can look to us and they can trust us.""Trust us..."

That, executive vice president Brad Smith added, "absolutely includes the cloud". "We are committed to ensuring that people will have as much confidence putting their information in the cloud in the future as they do putting it on a computer, on their desktop or in a paper file in their desk drawer. That is an imperative for our success."Excitement was high during the meeting for the impending launch of Xbox One, but Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he wouldn't be letting his cheeky little children attend tomorrow night's midnight festivities - it's a school night!"I have told my kids though that it's a school night, so even though in the past, Paul [Allen, co-founder of Microsoft] and I used to sneak out after midnight and use computers, I don't want to see that happening, so my kids will be asleep that night.""You do?!"

Gates went on to thank Ballmer for his 13-year tenure as CEO of Microsoft - a position only Ballmer and Gates have ever held. "And that alone makes us quite unusual," Gates remarked.Ballmer wrapped up his final shareholder meeting as CEO by saying, "There is no question for me that when we look back 10 years from now, we are going to say, 'Wow, I can't believe how primitive technology was. Wow, I can't believe how great a company Microsoft has become in running global cloud services and delivering the next generation of innovative hardware devices and experiences.' And we will look back and say 'hey, weren't we a small company back there in 2013'."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...h-your-privacy

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Xbox One controller cost over $100 million to develop

November 20th, 2013, 00:56 Posted By: wraggster

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Countdown to Xbox One: Call of Duty's Second Chance

November 20th, 2013, 00:39 Posted By: wraggster

Infinity Ward are the creators of the biggest video game franchise in the world and are responsible for Xbox One’s most pre-ordered title.
MCV speaks to executive producer Mark Rubin on building for a new generation
Infinity Ward is probably the most influential video game developer in the world.
The minds behind Call of Duty are responsible for billions of dollars in revenue and a host of critically acclaimed games. But back in 2010 it was almost destroyed.
A mass exodus of staff following a dispute with Activision left it in ruins and it was forced to team-up with sister studio Sledgehammer Games to create 2011’s Modern Warfare 3.
Yet Infinity Ward endured.
Now a team of 125, it took on the task of creating not just a new Call of Duty brand in Ghosts, but in taking the series onto the next-generation of consoles.
“We had to increase resource quite a bit for Ghosts,” says executive producer Mark Rubin.
“Activision asked ‘Do you want to do next-gen and we have someone else do current-gen?’ Our answer was ‘No, we want to do both.’
“Both generations are extremely important to us and we wanted to do both. It was a great decision, but it was a tough one. It quickly became a case of: ‘Oh my god, what did we sign up for?’
“The amount of work involved ramping up the studio significantly. We have 150 people, 125 are IW employees, while the other 25 are people who have been sent to help out – whether that is Nvidia engineers, Microsoft engineers or people from Activision’s central tech division. We also have Neversoft and Raven helping us out as well.”
It was a huge task, but one Infinity Ward was desperate to take on.
Adds Rubin: “It is like a perfect storm of opportunity here. It is Infinity Ward and we started the current-gen off when we did Xbox 360 with Call of Duty II. Now we get to be the studio that starts this generation, which is a huge thing for us. It is also a new sub-brand, a new story with a new world, which is a great way to kick off a new generation.”
GHOST STORIES
Infinity Ward was one of the first studios to receive development kits for Xbox One and PS4, and although it was a thrill to be working on them, the firm admits it was a challenge.
“We’re a studio filled with gamers, so being able to get the consoles early was exciting,” adds Rubin.
“When the boxes come in the studio, it is a rush to check out the box and the new controller. It’s a really exciting thing from a strictly nerd-developer stand-point.
“It’s also a new generation and it helps us as developers to feel we are making something new and creatively different. I am excited about it. It is a challenge. But challenges are fun and are things you overcome. When you finally see your game on a next-gen console, it is a really exciting thing for a dev.
“And the great thing about the new consoles is that they are much more PC-like than they ever have been in the past. So that actually makes development on them a lot easier. For a lot of these guys, it means we got spun up on them a lot faster than we would have done.”
NIGHT AND DAY
Historically, it takes developers a long time to get up to speed on new consoles. The difference between the first games on Xbox 360 and the latest titles are pronounced. But does the fact that Xbox One and PS4 are so close to PCs mean we will get the most out of these new consoles faster?
“I don’t know,” admits Rubin. “It may be the case, but I do feel we mastered the current-gen platforms pretty quickly. Our first game looked great. Our next game was a huge leap. The next one was a smaller leap, and then the leaps got smaller and smaller. If you look at Call of Duty II and compare it to Ghosts, the difference is night and day.
“I think we will see something similar. Even though it is PC architecture and it is easier to develop for, I still think there is going to be a length of ramp-up time.
“But it’s impossible to tell right now. If we knew some of the answers to that question, we would have got further ahead on the game we are making. I think we have a lot of room to work out what sort of features and tech works best for each system, where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and just what fans want out of the games.
“We have a long lifecycle this gen. It is going to be fun. I can’t wait.”
Call of Duty: Ghosts is Infinity Ward’s comeback, and it was an ambitious comeback. But the developer proved there is life after its 2010 collapse. It hit its deadlines on releasing Ghosts, despite launching across two new platforms.
“The team has been doing this for so long,” continues Rubin. “We have a rhythm. And we are good at cutting. Honestly, we cut a lot. There’s probably eight to 10 multiplayer maps that didn’t make it. If we’re working on a map and it's not working out, we lose it.”
And Infinity Ward never stops. The moment it has shipped a blockbuster game, it switches onto the next project. There’s no time to relax or celebrate a job well done.
“We go into three things,” says Rubin. “There is a group of us who start working on the next game. We start brainstorming. There’s another group watching the numbers. Those guys are prioritising issues they find, coming up with fixes. And then there third group is working on the DLC because we need to get that out the door by January or so.
“We might be able to put our feet up at the start of next year, but even then it’s a temporary thing.
“We’re already thinking about what comes next.”
THE CALL TO TRANSIT
Call of Duty: Ghosts is a game that launches across generations, and Activision believes it can play a part in getting customers to upgrade from Xbox 360 to Xbox One and PS3 to PS4. We speak to Activision UK MD Roy Stackhouse to discuss the transition and its impact on the Call of Duty brand.

How many consumers are waiting to buy the PS4 and Xbox One version of Call of Duty: Ghosts?
It’s a difficult question to answer, because you have to ask the individuals concerned. But there probably is a slight bit of hesitation and nervousness in the marketplace with next-gen just around the corner. There’s no reason customers can’t go out and buy it on current gen and still enjoy it, because whatever platform you buy it on it will look fantastic. But then we also have the seamless upgrade scheme, which means you can move into PS4 or Xbox One and take all your stats with you, and once people understand that more, I think you’ll find it will be an easier progression for game fans.
How do you make sure there are not any customers lost between the generations?
We have to do it via seamless upgrading. The great thing is we have more than one way to move the fans from current-gen to next-gen. So there’s the stuff the first parties are doing in offering next-gen upgrades, there’s the stuff retail is doing through trade-in offers. I think the more and more the gaming community can do to make it easier for people to move to next-gen, I think we will see a positive transition.
How are you supporting next-gen?
We are supporting it through the innovation we have in the game. If anyone has been lucky enough to get hands on with Call of Duty and see what you’re able to do with the next generation, you’ll see they are just graphically stunning. The game itself will show the quality of what next-gen can do. So from that perspective, we are heavily supporting both first parties. It is kind of lucky because it gives us three launches of Call of Duty this year alone.
What makes Call of Duty an ideal next-gen launch title?
Call of Duty is such an iconic brand now, and people can trust it can deliver a good experience, plus the innovations of the brand and the fact it looks spectacular on the new consoles. The recipe is there for a great launch. When people play the game on next-gen consoles, they will see the difference in quality.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/count...chance/0124516

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White Xbox One charity auction raises $11,300

November 20th, 2013, 00:12 Posted By: wraggster

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Xbox One can't Twitch, but it can DVR

November 20th, 2013, 00:08 Posted By: wraggster

Microsoft hopes to dry the tears of those Xbox One fans saddened by the lossof at-launch Twitch streaming options by highlighting what the new consolecan do: specifically, digital video recording.

Dubbed "Game DVR," the feature is exactly what its name suggests. Players can choose to capture either the last 30 seconds of play, the last five minutes or the next five. Once a clip has been created, players can move it to the system's Upload Studio, which offers editing tools including the ability to record voiceovers for your footage and picture-in-picture functionality.

After you've completed your cinematic masterpiece, the Upload Studio can save the video or you can choose to upload it, either to only your Xbox Live friends or to the public. According to Microsoft, if you opt to save your footage, the clip will be stored as a 720p MP4 file in your cloud-based SkyDrive folder. Though not explicitly stated, the involvement of SkyDrive means that GameDVR will require an Xbox Live Gold account.

Update: Earlier this post stated that the Game DVR feature would record the last thirty seconds of gameplay or the next five minutes, when it's actually the last 30 seconds, last five minutes or next five minutes. We apologize for any confusion.
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/11/19/xb...ut-it-can-dvr/

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Ex-gen: PS3 and Xbox 360's highs and lows over 8 years

November 18th, 2013, 23:46 Posted By: wraggster

Hard to believe it's been eight years since the first of this generation of consoles, the Xbox 360, went on sale. But cast your mind back and you'll remember that back then the only free-to-play games (at least in the West) were the ones on promotional stands at the back of GameStation, there was no iPhone, Facebook was only open to students and if you wanted to see something like the Oculus Rift your best bet was an episode of Star Trek.
In case your long term memory has been ruined by modern technology and caffeinated beverages we've compiled a timeline of the most important events between the birth of this generation and the launch of the new Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The Yellow Lights and Red Rings of Death, the controversies and the seminal games.
November 22, 2005 - The Xbox 360 is the first to cross the start line and goes on sale in the USA. Europe gets its turn on December 2, followed by Japan on December 10. Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore says "in the first 90 days, I believe we'll be somewhere between two and a half and three million units worldwide. Perhaps equally importantly by the end of the calendar year [2006], I think we'll be at 10 million units worldwide." Combined sales of the machine in October 2013 stood at 80 million.

September 6, 2006 - SCEE announces delay to European launch of the PlayStation 3 citing "production issues with the blue laser diodes needed for the Blu-Ray drive."
November 11, 2006 - PlayStation 3 goes on sale in Japan. It arrives in the US on November 17, but the European release is delayed until March 23, 2007. The last official figures for sales of the console are 80 million worldwide, with 4332 games released worldwide, excluding downloads.
November 7, 2006 - The first Gears Of War bursts onto Xbox 360 and introduces the world to Marcus Fenix. The game is a huge hit, scoring a Metacritic of 94 and GamesRadar declares "splattering blood never looked so beautiful."
"PS3 is something that is going to be a slow burner, and suddenly it's like a tsunami; it will just overtake you"
David Reeves, SCEE

November 19, 2006 - The Wii is released in the USA, and despite having a name that means urine in a number of countries, it has gone on to teach your grandmother yoga and sell over 100 million units around the world.
July 06, 2007 Microsoft acknowledges the Red Ring Of Death failure experienced by Xbox 360 users, and in an open letter from Peter Moore introduces an enhanced three year warranty program for machines that suffer three flashing red lights.
July 13, 2007 - "PlayStation 3, you will see, will be far and away the winner when you look at it by March '08. They really, really will," predicts Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves. "It's something that is going to be a slow burner, and suddenly it's like a tsunami; it will just overtake you." He is, of course, wrong and in a 2009 interview he says it could take another three to five years. He retires from Sony at the end of April 2009.
The 2006, 2009 and 2012 iterations of the PlayStation 3

September 25, 2007 - Halo 3 is released on Xbox 360 and grosses $300 million in its first week on sale. It claims a Metacritic of 94 and Edge magazine calls it a "magnificent, beautiful monster" and "the future."
November 5, 2007 - Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is released and suddenly a grumpy sounding actor from The Bill is everyone's new man-crush. Captain Price and Soap's debut scores a Metacritic of 94 and spawns a terrifying new generation of trigger happy, kill hungry online players.
February 29, 2008 - Ignoring the heartrending cries of Sackboy, Phil Harrison resigns as president of SCE Worldwide Studios. Cut to March 2012 and it's revealed the tallest man in games is crossing the console barricades and joining Microsoft as corporate vice president at the Interactive Entertainment Business. "I am really impressed with the company's long-term vision for growing the market for interactive entertainment globally and also with the incredible wealth of talent, technology and resources the company has available to succeed."
March 01, 2008 - Xbox Live hits a record 1 million concurrent users. By November 2009, that number rises to 2 million.
"Natal is the most exciting product we'll bring to market this year"
Steve Ballmer

May 20, 2009 - The first video for The Last Guardian, then called Project Trico, is leaked via a PlayStation fansite. Despite assurances it is still in development today the game still has no release date, and leading cynics to believe the catdogbird's corpse is hidden somewhere in Sony's basement
September 17, 2009 - The BBC's Watchdog programme runs a report on Sony's Yellow Light Of Death in the UK, and SCEE responds with a strongly worded rebuttal of its major points. MD of Sony UK Ray Maguire says the programme contains "unsupported and potentially misleading allegations."
October 13, 2009 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves arrives on PS3. "An action-adventure masterpiece whose minor flaws are washed away on a tide of rhythm and spectacle," says Eurogamer, and the game achieves a 96 Metacritic.

October 27, 2009 - Forza Motorsport 3 on Xbox 360 marks a massive turning point for the racing series. It's Metacritic was 92 thanks to reviews like the one from IGN that called it "the best racing game of this generation."
February 23, 2010 - PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain goes on sale in the US, and innovation hungry gamers learn a hard lesson about children and road safety. The game secures a Metacritic score of 87, and Eurogamer calls it "a thrilling mystery, cleverly composed, and unlike anything else you will play this year."
February 28, 2010 - First reports of PlayStation Network connection error 8001050F which prevents access to the PlayStation Network. Gamers helpfully nickname the event the ApocalyPS3, and Sony soon figures out that the problem is due to a glitch related to the leap year. The issue is resolved by March 1.
"We aren't making huge money from hardware, but we aren't bleeding like we used to"
Shuhei Yoshida

21 June, 2010 - Chris Lewis, executive VP of Interactive Entertainment in Europe for Microsoft, predicts another five years of life for the Xbox 360. "With this new sleek design and Kinect for Xbox 360 we've got at least another five years of this generation where we continue to offer great experiences for people."
29 June, 2010 - Exciting news for Sony's accountants as worldwide studio boss Shuhei Yoshida reveals the happy news that the company is no longer taking a $300 hit on every machine it sells, and it's only taken three years. "This year is the first time that we are able to cover the cost of the PlayStation 3. We aren't making huge money from hardware, but we aren't bleeding like we used to."
November 4, 2010 - Kinect is released in the USA, and everyone suddenly realises that Microsoft employees have much bigger living rooms than the average person. Microsoft's reported $500 million marketing budget for the camera is more than it spent on advertising for the original Xbox console.
April 20, 2011 - Sony shuts down its online service, the PlayStation Network, after a hack compromises the information of 77 million users. It later becomes clear that this could include credit card information. It begins restoring services on May 15.
The 2005, 2007 Elite, 2010 and 2013 iterations of Xbox 360

August 4, 2011 - One year after Sony launched 3D gaming for the PS3 and Simon Benson, SCEE's senior development manager, is excited by the medium's progress and its future. "That's a lot of content, and a really good reason to think about getting a 3D display. And if it's coming out at that sort of rate, and you think this is just the beginning, imagine where that's going to go." Cut to 2013, and Sony announces the PlayStation 4 will not support 3D at launch.
September 29, 2011 - Gears Of War 3 helps push the franchise beyond $1 billion in lifetime sales. “Gears of War was the first killer app for Xbox 360," says Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios.
July 3, 2012 - Spencer is back, and tells GamesIndustry International the "future of entertainment is the cloud. You see that with music and movies, and games will be that way as well. I think we are a ways away from everybody being able to play all the games that we are showing off on the floor of E3 via the cloud reliably."

November 18, 2012 - Nintendo's is Wii U released in the US. To date it's sold approximately 3.91 million units. Recently Michael Pachter, analyst and professional pot stirrer, said "I think the Wii U is toast - it's a DS that's split into two."
November 15, 2013 - PlayStation 4 is released in the US. Yoshida calls it "the most organized launch we've had as a company."
November 22, 2013 - The Xbox One is released in the UK and US. According to Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi "we're looking to be break even or low margin at worst on [Xbox One] and then make money selling additional games, the Xbox Live service and other capabilities on top."
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...n-PS3-and-Xbox

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Muted reviews for Xbox One's first titles

November 18th, 2013, 23:45 Posted By: wraggster

Critical Consensus: Micro-transactions raise suspicions from reviewers; Dead Rising 3 leads the pack of new reviews
If it's true that exclusive games are the key influencerbehind console purchase decisions then Microsoft's Xbox One should be on stronger ground than Sony's PlayStation 4. This is a system launching with a few more exclusives than Sony's disappointing three titles - not least Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 5, a racing game that can sit in pole position by default now that Evolution's Driveclub has been delayed from launch.
Today, the embargoes lift on some of those launch titles -although not Forza or Ryse: Son of Rome - ahead of the console's global release on Friday, allowing Microsoft to grab back some of the limelight that Sony hogged for its US launch last week. We'll look at those reviews now, and update when Crytek and Turn 10's releases are detailed later this week.
Dead Rising 3
Capcom's latest zombie killer has a brief window to make a good impression with critics and consumers, but according to Eurogamer's 7/10 review, the game doesn't do a good job straight out the gate. "The first minutes of the game are some of its worst, as pixels crawl along the jagged edges of road signs while canned shots of the surroundings strain to set the scene against the weight of slowdown," says editor in chief Tom Bramwell. "You never escape Dead Rising 3's technical shortcomings, particularly the slowdown, but once you make it out of this freeway tunnel and into Los Perdidos proper, at least you do stop worrying about them."
"You never escape Dead Rising 3's technical shortcomings, particularly the slowdown... but at least you do stop worrying about them"
Eurogamer

From there gameplay is "dumb fun" as in previous Dead Rising games, where players carve through the undead with increasingly outlandish weapons. As fun as that is, Bramwell finds the humour lacking and the frat house gags tiresome, but he also has bigger issues with the lack of surprises. "Dead Rising 3 isn't as funny, then, and it also feels like there's less to discover... survivors send you on rote fetch quests, there are little high-score rampages to go on, and you feel directed by duty rather than curiosity."
US site Polygon may score Dead Rising with something similar to Eurogamer, opting for 7.5 out of 10, but it seems to be seeing a different game. "Dead Rising 3 is an impressive technical achievement for the brand-new Xbox One," it begins. "Dead Rising 3's core technology is astounding - hundreds of enemy characters are onscreen at once, itching to eat your face. And the game performs well in most situations, save for the odd texture glitch. But load times were often ponderous"
Writer Danielle Riendeau acknowledges that the game is problematic as much as it is fun, stating: "Playing Dead Rising 3 can be a schizophrenic experience - I was angry at the game whenever it required precision from me - precision that the controls just wouldn't support. But I was thoroughly enjoying myself whenever it let me run amok and get creative with weapons and vehicles. It's a game with great ideas and intermittently poor execution."
There are also issues raised with stereotypes in the game - the days are long gone where reviewers will ignore the immature, crude and offensive characters poorly written by childish developers.
Dead Rising 3.

Destructoid was the site with the most gushing of reviews for Dead Rising 3, awarding it a 9/10 score, with writer Chris Carter claiming, "Dead Rising 3 is the first game I've seen that really harnesses the power of next-gen consoles. Oh, and it's also a phenomenal game as well."
"For a second, I thought it was a cutscene, but then the game gave me control and expected me to make my way through a giant sea of zombies to reach the first objective. It was completely unreal, and I was sold on the engine almost immediately. For the first time in a videogame, I really felt like I was in a zombie apocalypse."
Carter doesn't have a problem with the writing in the game either, "the cast is a bit more well rounded this time around, as there's a good mix of walking campy caricatures, and actual characters," and he finds a lot of fun in the co-op gameplay, before summing the whole experience up as "a hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage to what is a supreme title."
Killer Instinct
You can't get much more hardcore than a one-on-one fighting game, and you won't find a subject matter that raises temperatures amongst the gaming community as quickly as micro-transactions. Killer Instinct is both, so this game really is an outlier for a new business model on a brand new games console.
"Clearly it's nothing that wouldn't have been possible on older technology. In fact, strip away the particles and there's little to Killer Instinct that feels new"
Edge Online

Edge goes straight in with a 7/10 score, noting that this is a fighter with a well-designed mechanic. "Yet as thoughtfully put together as the combo system is, clearly it's nothing that wouldn't have been possible on older technology. In fact, strip away the particles and there's little to Killer Instinct that feels new."
"Sure, it runs at 60fps, but so do its 360 and PS3 equivalents, and it does so only in 720p. Character models whiff of the previous generation - Jago's hairdo is supposed to be spiky, but not jaggy - and stage backgrounds similarly fail to make a compelling case for Xbox One's processing power. One mountain range backdrop looks disappointingly flat, but even the more enclosed stages are let down by drab, low-detail scenery," writes the reviewer.
Although IGN notes that the game has "only six characters - it's hard not to feel a bit limited by that," it rolls out an 8.4 score and is impressed by the attention Double Helix has heaped on the game, making a tough genre accessible to noobs.
Killer Instinct.

"The sad truth about fighting games is that much of what makes playing them against others interesting is usually kept obscured," writes Vince Ingenito. "Killer Instinct succeeds enormously at exposing all of that information to players of all skill levels.
"Not only is its combat system flashy and well thought out, it's well explained too, thanks to its powerful training tools, and what is easily the most complete guide to terminology and tactics ever assembled in a fighting game. Though it lacks an arcade mode or a full-sized character roster, Killer Instinct delivers where it counts."
Joystiq's review of Killer Instinct highlights the problems with reviewing a game that isn't finished yet, let alone one where different price points get you different levels of access to content. "Right now, there's little else aside from training, survival and online modes. There isn't a story mode or an arcade mode, though the latter is promised for the future," writes David Hinkle in his ⅗ review.
"As it stands, Killer Instinct is a streamlined fighter designed as a far-reaching modular experience, which highlights one of its key problems: a dearth of content."
But like IGN's review, Hinkle points to the accessibility of the game overriding the lack of content. "This makes Killer Instinct a delight to play and a uniquely enticing proposition to fighting aficionados and genre novices alike. And even though it's mostly about big, flashy combos, Killer Instinct doesn't make you feel helpless when you're the one being pummeled," he says.
If the rest of the unreleased game is this good and the developer holds out on the delivery promise, Killer Instinct may grow to be much better received.
Crimson Dragon
On-rails shooter Crimson Dragon is as close to Panzer Dragoon or Child of Eden as 2013 gets, but it has an unwelcome addition of micro-transactions that don't sit well with OXM reviewer Jon Blyth.
"In an unexpected, and entirely unwelcome move, Crimson Dragon seems to have taken a lot of design leads from free-to-play games," he writes in a 6/10 review. "You pay credits to perform tougher missions, a counter-intuitive form of employment that's crying out for a Dragon Riders Union strike ballot. It's also a little too reminiscent of F2P 'energy' mechanics for our liking."
"In an unexpected, and entirely unwelcome move, Crimson Dragon seems to have taken a lot of design leads from free-to-play games"
OXM

The game is fun when it lets the player indulge in the power fantasy, but when it feels unnessarily unfair and then dangles the ability to buy your way to end of a level, it leaves a nasty taste, says Blyth. "When you're beset, besieged, and bullied by streams of incoming missiles, you feel cheated rather than challenged, and the beckoning gem shop makes the process feel dirty."
Ben Reeves at GameInformer also has problems with Crimson Dragon, mainly because it tries to innovate in a genre that barely any developers have given any care or attention to in the past ten years, and had fudged controls that were originally designed for Kinect.
"Crimson Dragon tries to mix up the repetitive shooting with sequences where you collect gold beacons, but these moments are about as exciting as flying through a series of rings," he writes in a 6/10 review.
"Levels occasionally open up and allow you to fly around the environment, but I constantly felt like I was fighting the camera throughout these sequences, and the dragons are so sluggish that there is no thrill to flying. I was actually happy every time the game limited my controls to the rails."
Reeves says he's a fan of the original Panzer Dragoon series, but even he admits that after the nostalgia "it doesn't hold a candle to its precursors that came out decades ago."
Crimson Dragon.

Chris Carter of Destructoid highlights the in-game micro-transactions, but although he doesn't like the idea of them, he also doesn't have a problem with the way they're implemented in Crimson Dragon.
"Like Ryse and Powershot Golf, Crimson Dragon unfortunately employs a micro-transaction option to buy more currency. But! It's mostly inoffensive, because you can just buy everything through gameplay," he writes in an 8/10 review.
"I don't like that this system is in place in the slightest, but I never once felt like I had to pay money. Instead, I was inspired to level up my dragons through normal gameplay, and simply improve my skills."
And despite the uncomfortable micro-transactions, Carter is happy with the end gaming result. "As a massive fan of the Panzer series, I was worried that this wouldn't quite honor it, but thre's plenty here for gamers who have been longing for an entry since 2003's Orta," he says. "There are some mechanical problems, but any old-school rail shooter fan will be able to handle them."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...s-first-titles

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PES 2014 data pack 2 released

November 18th, 2013, 22:01 Posted By: wraggster

Konami has released data pack two for PES 2014.The free DLC brings the team rosters up to date, and adds 800 new faces. Konami highlighted Manchester United's Da Silva twins, Boca Juniors' Riquelme, Real Madrid's Isco and England midfielder Jack Wilshere as those who benefit.New official kits are included, with third kits for Santos, Palmeiras and Flamengo, among others. There are new boots available in the edit mode.The DLC also adds the 11 vs 11 mode, enhancements to chat elements and gameplay tweaks. A new team play lobby system has been added, with online competitions and master league online competitions.Meanwhile, Konami has added a new dedicated myPES app, which ranks all users alongside stats related to each match played. The iOS version is available now, with an Android version to follow shortly.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ack-2-released

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