Microsoft chooses AMD Fusion II for XBox 720
OK, the chances of the next XBox being called 720 are 50:50 at best but, for now, at least you all know what we’re talking about. While the name and final design for the box and packaging might still be up in the air, the internals appear to have been locked down. KitGuru investigates.
[...]
Initial AMD Fusion designs will work, but the full potential won’t be realised until the end of next year. Based on comments by people like Chekib Akrout, of all the likely designs to be targeted at the XBox 720 product, we think there’s a good chance that it will be the AMD Krishna product. This will be produced on Global Foundries’ 28nm ‘high-k gate first’ process (originally introduced in 2007 by co-inventors IBM, Toshiba and, ironically, Sony). The only real technical challenge for the first XBox 360 consoles was heat/noise, for which the AMD Krishna product could be the answer.
If it is AMD’s Krishna product, then that brings another tantalising possibility to the table. More on that later.
Given how slowly things move in the world of console gaming, we’d expect a new XBox 720 product (assuming no major issues with Global Foundries) to be launched in 2012.
I really don't think how long the Kinect has been on the market will affect anything, especially if the NeXBoX is compatible or more likely integrated with a Kinect.
Also, the Kinect has sold well, and beyond that, is an evolution in not only gaming, but also in computer interfacing. The next version (or even next major update) of Windows will likely include some sort of Kinect support, and that is where Kinect's real potential lies. Google Kinect hacks if you don't believe me. There are amateurs doing some really cool things with the device, including controlling a computer.
As for the NeXBoX launching in 2012, that seems reasonable since the 360 was first to launch this gen. I imagine it will be even more PC-like with a full Windows OS, cloud-based gaming/saves/other services and have full 3D games that cost $80.
We're not even at a point where we have a bunch of games that can't be done on current hardware. In the past there was always arcade or PC games that the consoles couldn't do that gave us an idea of what the next gen would be like. Arcades are dead and most PC games are console multiplatform releases anyway. Consoles are now cutting edge. There is no future standard we can point to.
"As long as the current console generation exists and as long as we keep pushing the PC as well, the more difficult it will be to really get the benefit of both," Yerli told the latest issue of Edge.
"PC is easily a generation ahead right now. With 360 and PS3, we believe the quality of the games beyond Crysis 2 and other CryEngine developments will be pretty much limited to what their creative expressions is, what the content is. You won't be able to squeeze more juice from these rocks."
"I generally think it's still developers' mentality [that is to blame]," he added. "A lot nowadays don't consider PC a big issue any more; their [sales] expectations are nowhere near what they are for the console versions. Until the PC market creates comparable revenues, companies are not going to spend enough on the PC SKU of a game."
That just isn't true. PC games can be far ahead of anything that the consoles are doing, but the real money is in console gaming so most PC projects are scaled to fit the Consoles and not tailored for High End PC's.
Part of the PC's appeal is to push the graphics, but that is dying out [...]
Crysis may not be capable of being ported to the Xbox 360 but it doesn't really look it in screenshots. It's not WAY better like we had before
Um.... I said 'part' of the appeal is in the graphics in what you quoted, and earlier I mentioned developers wanting the 'freedom' of developing on the PC which you elaborated on, and then I made the case for MS making a console that not only allowed you to play their games, but all kinds of PC games as well; flash and otherwise.
It's not just about graphics, it's about what the systems are capable of.
From a developers stand point graphical power is about a lot more than pretty pictures, it is the limit to what they can accomplish for the game overall.
If MS releases this in 2012, what does Nintendo do? Couldn't you just imagine Nintendo releasing something about on par with the Xbox 360 in 2011 only to get leapfrogged but the Xbox 720 in 2012? And then it's the same thing with Nintendo a generation behind getting nothing from third parties. I've realized I don't want Sony or MS to go next gen any time soon because I do not trust Nintendo to keep up. Nintendo needs two generations in the same span that the competition has one.
This current gen the consoles were too expensive to start with (especially the PS3) and devs are having problems with games having huge budgets and not making a profit. You go further with that and things will get worse.
The jump between Xbox(1) and 360 wasn't that great. But what it did do was allow for smoother polygons, larger worlds, more interaction, and more things actively happening on screen. Having played Crysis on a laptop that could handle Far Cry 2, it slowed down to the point where I could no longer play it on the very first explosion because of how detailed and realistic it was, and I doubt any concole could have replicated the detail and size of that explosion. From a developers stand point graphical power is about a lot more than pretty pictures, it is the limit to what they can accomplish for the game overall.
The best graphical improvements aren't always noticeable, after all. ;)
I think that a lot of the problem has more to do with art direction than anything. Every game that comes out is striving for the same bland realistic look... that doesn't help people to differentiate them at all. I don't think that this hardware plateau is necessarily at a standstill yet. Consoles have always held on until their graphics simply could not make due any longer. The problem however is that the Wii is already there. Too often I find myself staring at a Wii game and thinking that the GameCube looked better in a lot of ways. If Nintendo wants to continue to create this soft, round, cartoony graphics, then they really need to work on their anti-aliasing and get rid of the jaggies that absolutely plague even flagship titles like Super Mairo Galaxy.
Personally, I think the Wii has decent graphics. Its not as good as the competition, obviously, but its good enough for me.
I think my biggest concern is the price. Even if they can make a better console with noticeably better graphics, what will it cost at launch? The PS3 took years to reach a reasonable price point. A $600 console doesn't fly. We know that. If MS can give us a decent sized hardware boost on a console that costs $300 with games that cost no more than $60 and they don't have to take a huge loss to do this, then bring on the next gen.
You do realize that the PS3 having BluRay is what helped win the format war with HD DVD and more importantly Sony is the leading manufacturer of BluRay discs. The PS3 is by far the best Blu Ray player on the market, and offers the best 3D gaming(on a console) because of that cell processor so I don't know where you get this notion of 'needless crap'.
And I garuntee you 3D is not a fad, the movie studios are pushing it, movie goers love it, and eventually every movie will be in 3D.
3D is not a fad because it is now affordable. Studios can do it without much financial risk, people can afford the TVs and PCs in their homes, and gaming systems are capable of broadcasting it, even on a portable. That is the only reason 3D hasn't taken off in the past; the prohibitive cost.
It is still not affordable. A decent 3D TV still costs around $1,000 (with great TVs being around $1,500).You don't find it all contradictory to say they aren't affordable, and then say they cost less than HDTV's did when they started booming?
I seriously think 3D will be dead in five years. The 3DS might throw a monkey wrench into that prediction but it also might actually hasten the demise of the 3D fad as it will get people used to no glasses, which the TVs probably won't be able to do.Actually, the 3DS is proof that 3D is here to stay. The most popular system EVER is going to incorporate the tech, and you don't think that bodes well?
Why do you suppose so many companies are jumping on the 3D bandwagon?
Actually, the 3DS is proof that 3D is here to stay. The most popular system EVER is going to incorporate the tech, and you don't think that bodes well?
What world do you live in Ian?
Where was the gimmick in the SNES, N64, and GC? Where is the gimmick that got people to move from Xbox to 360 and PS2 to PS3? It was simply new/more powerful technology.
Ian has that Vancouver mentality where he could give a **** about TV in general. Who needs a TV when I can smoke a joint on the way to a jazz bar?
Actually, the 3DS is proof that 3D is here to stay. The most popular system EVER is going to incorporate the tech, and you don't think that bodes well?
Ian: You also alleged that 3D was a gimmick to push the new DS. Yet the 3DS is plenty more powerful, so your argument is still moot.
@BnM: Yes, but I actually meant Nintendo's whole line portable products. I actually think if only for the sake of record keeping and boasting, they should have kept the Gameboy name since that 3rd pillar thing didn't pan out, but maybe they'll still surprise us with a portable GC that also has a GB/C/A port. Edit: I said it bodes well, not that it was proof of success.Just to clarify;
You are absolutely wrong. The boom in HDTVs is what brought the price down to $1,000, and that only happened within the last 18 months or so. Early last year HDTV saturation was at about 35% and now a Google search will tell you that it's anywhere from 56-65%. And there about 116 million household in the U.S just for reference.
Those people who bought an HDTV in the last few years ARE going to be willing to make another $1,000 purchase in the next few years.
America is the land of over-indulgence and "keeping up with the Jonse's" it is wrong to assume a family would be unwilling to buy two TVs in a matter of 4-6 years, especially when next year 3DTVs are certain to be big part of 2011 Black Friday/Cyber Monday/holiday shopping.
And your point about only 46% of US homes receiving an HD signal proves my point; lack of content is not a hinderance to purchase. Those 9-19% of people with no HD signal through their cable provider either have BluRay or are just simply enjoying widescreen TV. Most 3DTV owners are probably just viewing the demo disc their TV came with or the few 3D BluRays they can buy. For now, the point of the purchase is being 'hip' and having the privilege of bragging about the lack of 3D content to people who don't have your level of perceived luxury.
So where was the gimmick for the DS-DSi upgrade? Cameras? And do you really think Nintendo needed a gimmick to sell the DS's successor? With how amazing the graphics are, in combination with the analog stick, it would have been fine, but obviously Nintendo (like every other corporation out there) sees something in 3D.
In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries.
The touchscreen was far more than a gimmick, because certain games work MUCH better with that than they would without it. It improves gameplay in some respects, and in other respects there's no way certain games could have worked without it.... so its definitely not a gimmick. Now, granted there were many games, especially in the beginning, that tacked on touch controls in ways that didn't make any sense, such as the Castlevania game which had you draw the seals or some crap like that...
In those cases, yeah the touch screen was used in a gimmicky way, but that's not the fault of the hardware itself. In some cases its called for and very much needed, in others its just a gimmick. But overall the hardware itself is definitely NOT a gimmick. Its a new standard for portable gaming. If you're going to call that a gimmick you might as well call the analog stick a gimmick as well.
The touchscreen was a gimmick and so was the dual screens.
It (the touchscreen) just turned out to be a very useful one that has caught on on almost all mobile devices.Quote from: wikiIn marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries.
Motion Capture is the gimmick for Kinect, WiiHD is the gimmick for Move and 3D is the gimmick for 3DS
The touchscreen was a gimmick and so was the dual screens.
It (the touchscreen) just turned out to be a very useful one that has caught on on almost all mobile devices.Quote from: wikiIn marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries.
Motion Capture is the gimmick for Kinect, WiiHD is the gimmick for Move and 3D is the gimmick for 3DS
I already stated this without the nifty wikilink, but thanks for the validation. I hate how Gimmicks are perceived as bad, because of the term Gimmicky.
@BnM, and whoever agreed with him (I forgot already...)
As speakers of the English language you need to understand something called connotation.
The literal definition of mediocre is 'of moderate quality' (me·di·o·cre: Of only moderate quality; not very good) and yet it is quite an insult to call someone or something mediocre or middling, as opposed to 'middle class', 'middle of the road' or even moderate.Well no ****. because moderate quality means it's not very good. it is an insult. I inserted the definition into your quote ;)
Sure the literal definition of gimmick isn't a bad one, but if you were to look only at the way Ian used it (not to mention everyone else who speaks English and knows the word) it is obviously a word that bears a negative connotation, as he and other used the word to denegrate a product's feature(s).
Do you know that when the computer mouse was invented, people said it was a gimmick that would never catch on?So everyone was wrong, you only want the word to stand for it's negative connotation and touch screen & dual screens are sometimes a "gimmick" and sometimes not..... go on.
For me, a gimmick is, as I believe Ian or someone else said, a useless add-on. The touchscreen, and the dual screens were definitely not that, yes in some games they are useless, but they are not useless to the system itself.
I am of the belief Nintendo knows what they are doing when it comes to game design and will use 3D to enhance immersion. Even 'headtracking depth 3D' is ised to enhance gamplay, so why should we expect autostereoscopic 3D to be any less? And, if all does it make games look cool, then graphical improvements are also a (negatively connotated) gimmick.
The DS had all the gimmicky bullshit with the touchscreen that attracted rubes.That certainly sounds denigrating so I inferred it as such. If it makes you feel better, I'll amend my statement: The touchscreen was a cheap gimmick? /facepalm
I'm glad I'm not the only one who tries to preserve the original definitions of words. I'm not sure how "gimmick" became synonymous with "cheap gimmick," is it really so hard to add an adjective?Apparently so. But then this isn't that uncommon here. Take "casual" for instance (oh no, is he really starting this?):
Incidentally, if you substitute in the "n-word"N_GGERS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J5UXwHD2YY)
The "n-word" literally means ignorant person...No, it doesn't. Some people use it in that way in order to try and justify using the word in general (or to try to not look like a bigot), but that is not what it means. It was created a derogatory slang for the Spanish word negro. this kind of discussion should have nothing to do with "general gaming" (though if you've ever been on Xbox Live, you'll see that they go hand-in-hand), but I had to point that out.
I would consider a gimmick to be a novelty that adds no significant value. Otherwise I would just call it a feature.My response remains: Some of the most inventive games on DS use the touchscreen. Granted, some just use the touchscreen for the hell of it (I'm looking at you, New Super Mario Bros.). The touchscreen gave developers options. Some used it well, some did not. That's still no different than any other controller.
You've basically just redefined an entire word in the English language for your own purposes.
Bullshit. People have used the term "gimmick" with a negative connotation for longer then I've been alive. Have you honestly never heard anyone refer to something as "just a gimmick" with the obvious implication that it is of low quality or value?Jesus mother, man.... this is only a few posts above yours.
Because it's often used in that context. In my previous post in this topic, I was specifically replying to this:The DS had all the gimmicky bullshit with the touchscreen that attracted rubes.That certainly sounds denigrating so I inferred it as such. If it makes you feel better, I'll amend my statement: The touchscreen was a cheap gimmick? /facepalm
@MopI don't know what anything you listed has to do with language, so I'll stay focused. Change isn't always a good thing or necessary, and in the case of language, once it is established, it shouldn't be altered. New words can be added, but existing words should remain as they are. Language works only when the persons involved understand the meaning being conveyed, and if people keep twisting words to mean whatever they want, things are going to get even more confusing than they already are. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if English devolves into grunts and finger pointing just so people understand.
You going to try and preserve physical books from eReaders? Newspapers from blogs? Racism from logic? Change is inevitable.
"Xbox" is clearly the brand name. I encounter tons of people who refer to their Xbox 360 as just their "Xbox". 360 was a really stupid name and is so cumbersome to say that that is probably why so many people just say "Xbox".Xbox DX sounds more like a special edition Xbox, than a next-gen system. Otherwise, I agree. They should aim to have Xbox as the company brand, with their new system having a distinct name. Something like "Xbox Master System", or "Xbox GameCube" (but obviously with original names). Ideally you'll know who makes it, and that it's the new next-gen one.
Next time, I don't think it matters too much what the name is as long as it still uses the Xbox brand. Yeah they probably called it the 360 so that their 2 didn't go against the Playstation's 3. It's dumb but seems pretty much dead on with how marketers think. But next gen they could call is the Xbox DX or something like that and it would be fine. With something like that, then maybe people will refer to the system by a unique name and not just call it an "Xbox" again. It's probably better for MS that each Xbox be referred to by it's own name.
Crysis may not be capable of being ported to the Xbox 360 but it doesn't really look it in screenshots. It's not WAY better like we had before
You're blind.
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5579/crysis2007102923551468lo2.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5579/crysis2007102923551468lo2.jpg)
Consoles could barely render anything in this screenshot individually, never mind at the same time. You only get levels like that in completely linear games, and even then you don't have as much stuff in the area, which is why Red Dead Redemption worked on consoles, but a game like Crysis never will. It's also why Crysis 2 is set in a city and not in the jungle.
And that's not even as good as you can MAKE it look through some simple .cfg editing and mods.
They'll call it the XBox 1080 and force every game to display in 1080p at minimum.
so it's not exactly consumer friendly tech just yet, but if MS was looking for some edge over the PS3, this would be it.
so it's not exactly consumer friendly tech just yet, but if MS was looking for some edge over the PS3, this would be it.
Not to mention that those are a waste of money as the human eye is not able to tell the difference when you get above 1080 (at least based on the studies i've seen). Even if those higher resolutions were available, people wouldn't be able to notice the difference.
The maximum would be even higher than the resolution of the human eye. The system will feature graphics so realistic, people will look out the window and say "Those graphics suck! I'm going to go play XBox 1080!"They'll call it the XBox 1080 and force every game to display in 1080p at minimum.
What would they be able to render in at maximum? :P
March 2011:
-AMD working on CPU/GPU combined (Fusion based) chip for console due for release @ end of 2012; Told to bring schedule in for earlier release.
It seems that most of Microsoft's E3 announcements have been leaking out through rumors and trademarks.
There have been so many rumors and trademarks that I thought I would make a thread collecting them all, since at this point, I think we're close to knowing the entire show.
Leaks:
-Halo 4 (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432650)
-Halo: Combat Evolved Remake (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432650)
-Ryse (Codename: Kingdoms, Kinect Based) (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432650)
-Kinect Sparkler (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432653)
-Leedmees (Konami XBLA Kinect Game) (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432652)
Trademarks:
-Fusion: Genesis (http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/3ee9cf339ddee09eca2575ca000be1e3/7da88c824f17e27dca257896005d86de?OpenDocument) (Microsoft/Microsoft Game Studios)
-Fusion: Sentient (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=85277650)
-Fusion: Vault (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=85277645)
-Fruit Ninja Kinect (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/04/28/fruit-ninja-kinect-sliced-for-xbox-360/)
-Hole In The Wall (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-17-hole-in-the-wall-kinect-game-incoming)
-Kinect Me (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/20/kinect-fun-lab-will-be-revealed-at-e3-crimson-alliance-unearthed/)
-Kinect Googly Eyes (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/23/seriously-kinect-googly-eyes-is-in-development-at-microsoft/)
-Tetris Party Challenge (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/23/seriously-kinect-googly-eyes-is-in-development-at-microsoft/)
-Build A Buddy (http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/5b6ebdff7f5b9a24ca2575ca00062226/e8d611c1c166ad29ca25789c005db15e?OpenDocument)
-Gears of War: Exile (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/01/18/epic-games-gearing-up-for-gears-of-war-exile/) (Epic's Trademark, Not Microsoft's)
-VC Test (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28317965&postcount=1438)
Websites:
-Fable: The Journey (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/status/77079500399185920)
-XCommerce (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/status/77079500399185920)
-Dance Central 2 (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/status/77079500399185920)
-Kinect Sports Season 2 (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/status/77079500399185920)
-Kinect Fun Labs (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/status/77079500399185920)
-Kinect Disneyland (http://twitter.com/#!/supererogatory/statuses/77422125283155968) (And About Four Variants)
Game Rumors:
-Codename: Kingdoms (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34544/Source_Layoffs_At_Crytek_Budapest_Kinect_Game_Moves_Foward.php) (First Person Melee, Rumored Kinect Functionality, Moved To Crytek Frankfurt)
-Forza World (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3) (Open World Racing, Developed By Playground Games)
-Kinect Sports 2 (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3)
-Dance Central 2 (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3)
-Kinect Fun Lab (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/20/kinect-fun-lab-will-be-revealed-at-e3-crimson-alliance-unearthed/) (Speculated To Possibly Be "Kinect Me")
-Rare Kinect Title #2 (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3) (Unrelated To Rare IPs)
-Two New Kinect Titles From Veteran Kinect Developer (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3)
-Halo CE Remake (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-02-04-rumour-timeshift-dev-remaking-halo-1)
-Gears Of War Kinect Rail Shooter (http://kotaku.com/5755399/gears-of-war-for-kinect-an-on+rails-shooter-says-source)
-Fable Kinect Game (http://kotaku.com/5645343/rumor-project-milo-canceled)
-Kinect Roller Coaster Game (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=430831) (From The Developers Of Roller Coaster Tycoon)
-Big Park Story-Driven IP (http://www.iwriteforgames.com/portfolio/) (They Made Kinect Joyride)
-Alan Wake: Night Springs (http://www.xblafans.com/rumor-alan-wake-night-springs-will-be-an-xbla-title-13758.html) (XBLA, Possibly Kinect Enabled)
-Kinect Star (http://123kinect.com/kinect-games-star-showtime-ubisoft/4262/) (Ubisoft)
-Kinect ShowTime (http://123kinect.com/kinect-games-star-showtime-ubisoft/4262/) (Ubisoft)
-Kinect Raving Rabbids (http://123kinect.com/raving-rabbids-xbox-kinect-game/16285/) (Ubisoft)
-Monsters: Mass Destruction (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28005495&postcount=98) (Majesco, Kinect)
-Left Brain Right Brain (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28005495&postcount=98) (Majesco, Kinect)
-Harley Pasternak’s Hollywood Trainer (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28005495&postcount=98) (Majesco, Kinect)
-Over the Top Wrestling (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28005495&postcount=98) (Majesco, Kinect)
-Motion Sports: Adrenaline (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28005495&postcount=98) (Ubisoft, Kinect)
-Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Uses Kinect (http://h5.abload.de/img/boxartlgfk4x.jpg) (Found On Microsoft's Website, Essentially Official)
-Mass Effect 3 Uses Kinect (http://i.imgur.com/aqspA.jpg) (Found On EA's Website, Essentially Official)
-The Sims 3 Pets Uses Kinect (http://123kinect.com/wp-content/gallery/the-sims-3-pets/the-sims-3-pets-kinect-00.jpg) (Voice Commands, Both Interview And Box Art)
-SSX Has Kinect Functionality (http://123kinect.com/ssx-kinect-development/9257/) (Website Registration)
Studio Creation Rumors:
-London Studio For Kinect Kids Titles (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3)
-Redmond Studio "MGS Family" (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-13-kinect-ms-to-serve-hardcore-at-e3) (MGS = Microsoft Game Studios In This Context)
New Feature Rumors:
-Full Stereoscopic 3D Support (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-23-full-stereoscopic-3d-hitting-xbox-360)
-Zune Features/Services Integrated With Xbox Live Gold (http://wmpoweruser.com/zune-services-to-be-re-organized/)
-Kinect Community Site For Users And Developers (http://123kinect.com/rumor-microsoft-creates-community-site-to-connect-developers-to-users/16351/)
-Project Orapa (http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/11/xbox-360-iptv-rumors-ride-again-with-project-orapa/) (Combines Xbox Live, Kinect, and IPTV Into One)
-Free To Play Games Coming To XBLA (http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/116/1160708p1.html) (Dungeon Fighter Online XBLA (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=425314) Seemingly Confirms)
-Xbox Live Diamond (http://www.winrumors.com/xbox-live-diamond-subscription-tv-service-to-debut-at-e3/) (IPTV, Matches Orapa Rumor Very Well)
Official - Confirmed E3:
-Gears Of War 3 (http://www.xbox.com/en-gb/e3) (Epic)
-Forza 4 (http://www.xbox.com/en-gb/e3) (Turn10)
-Good Science Studios' New Game (https://twitter.com/#!/shannonloftis/status/70257450900652032) (They Made Kinect Adventures)
-Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=430724) (Double Fine)
-Star Wars Kinect (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=430724) (Terminal Velocity)
-Razorfish's DaVinci Kinect Experience (http://www.insidekinect.com/2011/06/razorfish-taking-davinci-kinect.html)
Official - Known 2011 Releases (Thus Likely E3):
-Doodle Jump Kinect (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/doodle-jump-drawn-to-kinect-release/)
-Hulk Hogan's Main Event (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-27-hulk-hogans-main-event-coming-to-kinect) (Majesco, Panic Button Games, Kinect)
-The Witcher 2 Is Coming To Xbox 360 In Q4 2011 (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432215)
Official - Potentially Not E3:
-343 Industries' Halo Game(s) (http://www.microsoft-careers.com/go/343-Industries-Jobs/190537/)
-Zipline Studio's Kinect First Person Shooter (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27550727&postcount=1) (Zipline Studios Is A New Microsoft First Party Studio)
-Lionhead Kinect Game (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/daniel-gray/8/22a/956) (Possibly Fable Kinect)
-Skype Functionality Is Coming To Kinect (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=429829) (The Press Release Confirmed This)
-Kinect Game From Virtual Toys (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:YzpP4xHlmtkJ:theartofvictorsantos.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cv-victor-santos.doc) (Microsoft Published, Developer Of Petz: Horsez 2 and Imagine: Fashion Model)
-The Kinect Games From TGS (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=407445) (Project Draco, Codename D, Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, Fire Pro Wrestling, Haunt, Rise Of Nightmares (http://www.siliconera.com/2011/03/25/leaked-details-on-rise-of-nightmares-segas-kinect-horror-game/))
-PowerUp Heroes (http://www.ubi.com/US/Games/Info.aspx?pId=9674) (Ubisoft, Kinect)
-Zombie Studios (http://www.richarddormer.com/images/RichardDormer_Resume.pdf)' "Zero Person Shooter" Kinect Game (http://www.free-for-recruiters.com/Resumes/WA/1806129-Resume.html) (Unreal Engine 3, Single-Player Rail Shooter)
-Xbox Live Cloud (http://www.microsoft-careers.com/job/Bellevue-BI-DEVELOPER,-MS-HARDWARE-IEB-MSCIS-Hardware-%28756886%29-Job-WA-98004/1287441/)
-Play XBLA Website (http://www.playxbla.com/)
-Yu Suzuki Is Making A Kinect Fighting Game (http://123kinect.com/kinect-fighting-game/17021/)
Official XBLA Exclusives - Potentially Not E3:
-Radiant Silvergun (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=407445) (Treasure)
-Guardian Heroes (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=429344) (Treasure)
-Trenched (http://www.trenchedgame.com/) (Double Fine)
-Gunstringer (http://www.thegunstringer.com/) (Kinect, Twisted Pixel)
-Class3 (http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/class3/1147725p1.html) (Undead Labs)
-Toy Soldiers: Cold War (http://www.signalstudios.net/toy-soldiers-cold-war/) (Signal Studios)
-Hybrid (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/hybrid-xbla-shooter-announced-by-5th-cell/) (5th Cell)
-Fez (http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/100/1001218p1.html) (Polytron)
-Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/29/insanely-twisted-shadow-planet-coming-to-xbox-live-arcade/)
-Spelunky HD (http://www.spelunkyworld.com/xbla.html) (MossMouth)
-Crimson Alliance (http://www.crimsonalliance.com/) (Certain Affinity, Action RPG)
GAF Original Rumors:
-Kinect Object Scanning, Interactive Books, And Education Software (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27345181&postcount=7878) (fin)
-Ruffian Still Working With Microsoft (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=28004850&postcount=53) (Doffen)
Am I missing anything?
Update:
Frankie says these are just from an ad agency, but in case he's stretching the truth, we'll keep this here.
Invite: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/05/microsoft-e3-badge-hints-at-halo-star-wars-portal-reveals.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/05/microsoft-e3-badge-hints-at-halo-star-wars-portal-reveals.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss)
(http://www.abload.de/img/msbadge1lmbv.jpg)
(http://www.abload.de/img/msbadge2km7j.jpg)
Am I missing anything?
Microsoft is gearing up to announce the successor to the Xbox 360 at E3 2012, and Crytek is already developing a new TimeSplitters game for the next generation of consoles, VideoGamer.com can reveal.
Specifications for the new machine have not been finalised, but Crytek is using Microsoft's DirectX 11 as the current basis for next-generation development. Tessellation, multithreaded rendering, and compute shaders are the three headlining features for DirectX 11.
The Crysis 2 developer says that Microsoft will announce the existence of a new Xbox within the next 12 months, hinting that a likely E3 2012 reveal. Crytek believes that Microsoft will announce and launch its new machine ahead of rival Sony, though the developer is also investing resources into next-generation PlayStation development.
The information was detailed to VideoGamer.com by a high-ranking industry source at Crytek, who stated that TimeSplitters 4 is currently being demonstrated internally, is being built with CryEngine 3, and was being shown privately in video form at E3 2011.
Crytek UK, who produced the other three games in the series as Free Radical, is still handling the development.
Both Microsoft and Crytek declined to comment.
The source reports that the graphics on TimeSplitters 4 are noticeably improved over current generation technology, with the DX11 tessellation effects allegedly having a huge impact on the visuals. Crytek believes that the game - and CryEngine 3 itself - will be seen as the cornerstone of next-generation development.
Crytek has invested heavily in DirectX 11 development primarily to focus on the new consoles, with the upcoming DX11 patch for the PC version of Crysis 2 being used internally as a benchmark of anticipated hardware trends.
As for the game itself, the new TimeSplitters is reported to focus on the series' branching paths and exploratory nature, with sandbox-style gameplay elements a big priority. The current goal is for levels to feature multiple routes that lead to the same overall conclusion.
Xbox 720 'likely' at E3 2012, Crytek on board
TimeSplitters 4 in development for next Xbox and PlayStation.QuoteMicrosoft is gearing up to announce the successor to the Xbox 360 at E3 2012, and Crytek is already developing a new TimeSplitters game for the next generation of consoles, VideoGamer.com can reveal.
Specifications for the new machine have not been finalised, but Crytek is using Microsoft's DirectX 11 as the current basis for next-generation development. Tessellation, multithreaded rendering, and compute shaders are the three headlining features for DirectX 11.
The Crysis 2 developer says that Microsoft will announce the existence of a new Xbox within the next 12 months, hinting that a likely E3 2012 reveal. Crytek believes that Microsoft will announce and launch its new machine ahead of rival Sony, though the developer is also investing resources into next-generation PlayStation development.
The information was detailed to VideoGamer.com by a high-ranking industry source at Crytek, who stated that TimeSplitters 4 is currently being demonstrated internally, is being built with CryEngine 3, and was being shown privately in video form at E3 2011.
Crytek UK, who produced the other three games in the series as Free Radical, is still handling the development.
Both Microsoft and Crytek declined to comment.
The source reports that the graphics on TimeSplitters 4 are noticeably improved over current generation technology, with the DX11 tessellation effects allegedly having a huge impact on the visuals. Crytek believes that the game - and CryEngine 3 itself - will be seen as the cornerstone of next-generation development.
Crytek has invested heavily in DirectX 11 development primarily to focus on the new consoles, with the upcoming DX11 patch for the PC version of Crysis 2 being used internally as a benchmark of anticipated hardware trends.
As for the game itself, the new TimeSplitters is reported to focus on the series' branching paths and exploratory nature, with sandbox-style gameplay elements a big priority. The current goal is for levels to feature multiple routes that lead to the same overall conclusion.
Funny that WiiU wasn't mentioned at all...
Does that mean no DX11 equivalent features in the WiiU GPU? or that Crytek doesn't see Wii U as a "next gen" machine?
But either way, this is an all but confirmation that MS will have a new console at E3 2012 for me.
First the original rumor backed up with a quote from an AMD worker (see rumor thread) and now this.
We all know MS is horrible at keeping secrets, so it's no surprise that we would hear about it this early.
[...] arent games big enough now?
A source with knowledge of Microsoft’s plans within the company’s Entertainment and Devices Division has confirmed with BGR that Microsoft intends to unveil its next-generation Xbox console at E3 2012 next summer. The source is not aware of Microsoft’s launch plans for the new Xbox, which we are told has been in development since 2006. Microsoft has sold nearly 54.4 million Xbox 360 units since the console’s introduction in November 2005. The video game system is currently the ninth most popular gaming console of all time behind Nintendo’s original NES and just ahead of Sony’s PlayStation 3, which has sold 51 million units to date.
Microsoft is officially the worst company at keeping secrets secretThird Parties Talk...
http://www.bgr.com/2011/06/27/microsoft-to-unveil-new-xbox-at-e3-2012/QuoteA source with knowledge of Microsoft’s plans within the company’s Entertainment and Devices Division has confirmed with BGR that Microsoft intends to unveil its next-generation Xbox console at E3 2012 next summer. The source is not aware of Microsoft’s launch plans for the new Xbox, which we are told has been in development since 2006. Microsoft has sold nearly 54.4 million Xbox 360 units since the console’s introduction in November 2005. The video game system is currently the ninth most popular gaming console of all time behind Nintendo’s original NES and just ahead of Sony’s PlayStation 3, which has sold 51 million units to date.
I already believed it, but MS couldn't keep an announcement that is a year away from being announced from being announced.... I suspect we will know all the specs before Xmas too?
We didn't really know **** about WiiU until 2 months before announcement.*Shrug* Huge company. Multi-market focused. It happens. Bad management would be we knew what the prototypes they are trying pretty much are. Anyone knew that MS was going to use the newest DirectX because you wouldn't want it different then the PC.
If it turns out 720 is using AMD fusion, then we knew about 720 before we even knew about WiiU.
We've known that X720 was gonna be at E3 2012 before the E3 that was before that E3.
That is some piss poor information management if you ask me.
2012 sounds too early for an Xbox 3 given how well the 360 has been selling. Looking at it from a hardware perspective, it's about time for an upgraded box. Does Microsoft really need to have a new box around the time the Wii U launches? I think they could wait a year (2013) or so.I agree. Microsoft could probably even launch in 2014. They won't, but they probably could.
So I heard a big rumor today that Microsoft is bringing Xbox live to Windows 8 with an Xbox 360 emulator. This is apparently going to have a monthly fee and will play the 360 DVDs. Interesting to say the least. I wonder what it means for the Xbox 720?Sort of think its about time since you wouldn't really need much of an emulator.
So I heard a big rumor today that Microsoft is bringing Xbox live to Windows 8 with an Xbox 360 emulator. This is apparently going to have a monthly fee and will play the 360 DVDs. Interesting to say the least. I wonder what it means for the Xbox 720?
As bad as Sony is, its probably worse if Microsoft goes on to monopolize the industry. They already monopolized the PC market, so if they get this too then its going to be really bad for competition which in turn will be a terrible thing for consumers because it will take away choice.But Apple and Linux will save the PC Market... lol.
I wouldn't worry too much about PC gaming as long as there crazy developers in the Americas and Europe making equally crazy PC games. It'll just be harder to find them, that's all.
Or get a PS3 and your fully covered. Use PlayOn to stream Hulu from your PC (Not paying for Hulu Plus), Netflix native app, use TVVersity or PlayOn to stream your PC Content (Any DLNA server would work), watch DVD's, and Watch Blu-Ray. Especially with the Blu-Ray remote for it. Get the benefits of not having to aim the remote with the wireless and a traditional remote setup. Now if the accessory they released in Japan was here state side and let me translate over the air through my PS3 I never have to leave it except to play Wii. PS3 may not be a great gaming machine but as a media center its very functional.I wouldn't worry too much about PC gaming as long as there crazy developers in the Americas and Europe making equally crazy PC games. It'll just be harder to find them, that's all.
It may not be harder to find them, but it may be harder to swallow the crap that comes with big name titles. There are already a few games that have been absolutely ruined by Games for Windows Live. Grand Theft Auto IV is a chore just to start up, and the recent Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition doesn't look too much better. Funny how DRM actually prevents legitimate sales rather than prevents piracy, isn't it?
Does anyone actually use their Xbox as a media center? The software looked pretty damn primitive... Oh, and you have to pay MS a monthly fee to access Netflix through it. You could build a much better HTPC for not too much more, or get a very capable Boxee device for about the same. Either way, you won't really be missing anything on TV. Cut that satellite/cable cord and save yourselves a phenomenal amount of money every year! ;)
Grand Theft Auto IV is a chore just to start up, and the recent Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition doesn't look too much better.I'll give you GTA IV since the series started on the PC but Street Fighter? Who has ever played fighting games on a PC? Any fighting game worth a **** starts in the arcade and for home versions it has clearly been a "console genre" since day one. I don't like obtrusive DRM at all but if you want to play a fighting game, get a console. You could never argue that the success of the Xbox has compromised fighting games on the PC because they were never there in any serious way to begin with.
QuoteGrand Theft Auto IV is a chore just to start up, and the recent Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition doesn't look too much better.I'll give you GTA IV since the series started on the PC but Street Fighter? Who has ever played fighting games on a PC? Any fighting game worth a **** starts in the arcade and for home versions it has clearly been a "console genre" since day one. I don't like obtrusive DRM at all but if you want to play a fighting game, get a console. You could never argue that the success of the Xbox has compromised fighting games on the PC because they were never there in any serious way to begin with.
Or get a PS3 and your fully covered.
QuoteGrand Theft Auto IV is a chore just to start up, and the recent Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition doesn't look too much better.I'll give you GTA IV since the series started on the PC but Street Fighter? Who has ever played fighting games on a PC? Any fighting game worth a **** starts in the arcade and for home versions it has clearly been a "console genre" since day one. I don't like obtrusive DRM at all but if you want to play a fighting game, get a console. You could never argue that the success of the Xbox has compromised fighting games on the PC because they were never there in any serious way to begin with.
Get a console? There's absolutely no reason that the genre shouldn't have a larger presence. There are plenty of good joysticks and arcade pads available that hook up USB. If anything, it'd be a better environment simply because of the peripheral selection. The problem isn't the platform, it's lazy developers seemingly intent on sabotaging their own product. BlazBlue does just fine on the PC, the original Street Fighter IV sold tremendously. The market is there. Of course, maybe I should just "get a console"... just not a Wii, since it doesn't have **** worth of selection in that particular genre... right?Well you seem to get pretty uppity about PC genres like FPS being "consolized". Here is a genre that is more of a console genre and you're talking about it on the PC. So shouldn't a console gamer like myself be concerned about it being "PCized"? I personally have no problem with fighting games being on the PC but if we're going to have that, it has to go both ways. Things are homogenizing and it seems that any genre that used to be associated with one platform is now common on the other. If you want fighting games on the PC, console gamers should be free to ask for first person shooters. But that means that distinction between the two platforms if going to blur and differentiate themselves less.
So how much was your HTPC.
Technology company AMD (supplier of graphics hardware for the Xbox 360) is claiming that the Xbox 360's successor will be capable of producing the kind of visual detail seen in James Cameron's Avatar, as reported on examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com/game-news-in-national/amd-xbox-720-graphics-will-look-like-avatar) via the August issue of Official Xbox Magazine US.
Cramming the kind of technology it took to render every frame of the eyeball-searing Avatar into a console within the next year or so sounds impossible, but AMD is claiming the next Xbox will launch with this within reach.
AMD would not confirm it was actually working on the next Xbox but director of ISV relationships at AMD, Neal Robison, has said that gamers have a lot to be excited about. Beyond visual fidelity Robison claims that the AI and physics capabilities of the next generation will allow for every pedestrian in an open-world title like GTA or Saints Row to be an individual character with a unique personality. This would mean NPCs would react in a whole host of new and different ways to in-game actions.
The PS3 is a way better media device than the 360. Neither one's as good as my jailbroken AppleTV, though. That thing's a hell of a deal for the price, especially if you own an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad.
EDIT: Goddammit, I didn't realize there was another page.
You mean this hasn't happened yet?QuoteTechnology company AMD (supplier of graphics hardware for the Xbox 360) is claiming that the Xbox 360's successor will be capable of producing the kind of visual detail seen in James Cameron's Avatar, as reported on examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com/game-news-in-national/amd-xbox-720-graphics-will-look-like-avatar) via the August issue of Official Xbox Magazine US.
Cramming the kind of technology it took to render every frame of the eyeball-searing Avatar into a console within the next year or so sounds impossible, but AMD is claiming the next Xbox will launch with this within reach.
AMD would not confirm it was actually working on the next Xbox but director of ISV relationships at AMD, Neal Robison, has said that gamers have a lot to be excited about. Beyond visual fidelity Robison claims that the AI and physics capabilities of the next generation will allow for every pedestrian in an open-world title like GTA or Saints Row to be an individual character with a unique personality. This would mean NPCs would react in a whole host of new and different ways to in-game actions.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/118/1182471p1.html (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/118/1182471p1.html)
I'll believe it when I see it.
The PS3 is a way better media device than the 360. Neither one's as good as my jailbroken AppleTV, though. That thing's a hell of a deal for the price, especially if you own an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad.
EDIT: Goddammit, I didn't realize there was another page.
A little late on this one but, its sad it has to be Jailbroken.
Microsoft and industry partners are working towards a 2013 launch of the next generation Xbox, Develop understands.
Multiple sources across the industry, from processor chip manufacturers to middleware firms, have told Develop they expect the console to be fully unveiled at E3 2013, months before its release. The collection of data points to a 2013 launch for the system across all main regions, though early 2014 remains a possibility.
Note/Glossary: If some of the acronyms don't make sense, RTW = release to web, RTM = release to manufacturing, RC = release candidate, 3G = third generation, and we think PU = product update given that Windows 8 has one well after its release.
http://msnerd.tumblr.com/post/11725284513/rhythm (http://msnerd.tumblr.com/post/11725284513/rhythm)
CES 2012
Win8 + WinStore beta
<ONM> CTP
Tango1 launch
MWC 2012
Tango2 SDK
MIX 2012
Win8 RC
<ONM> beta
Tango2 launch + Apollo announce
Kinect commercial SDK
E3 2012
Xbox SDK, 3G Kinect games announce
Apollo SDK
Win8 RTM
Aug 2012
Win8, <ONM>, WP8, Xbox Store launch
Build 2012
XAML+XDE platform
Win8 PU DP
<OSN> announce
CES 2013
Win8 PU Beta
MWC 2013
Apollo+1 teaser
MIX 2013
HTML platform (IE11)
Win8 PU RC
<OSN> Beta
Apollo+1 SDK
E3 2013
Xbox”loop” announce
Win8 PU RTM
Build 2013
Win9 DP
<OSN> RTM
Xbox”loop” launch
CES 2014
Win9 Beta
MWC 2014
WPN teaser
MIX 2014
Win9 RC
WPN SDK
Kinect SDK update
E3 2014
Kinect HP2 announce
Xbox PU announce
Build 2014
Win9 RTM (IE12)
Win9M RTM
<OSN+1> CTP
Xbox PU preview
Nov 2014
Win9, Win9M, Kinect HP2 launch
Xbox PU RTW
Heres a question, do you think it is better for Microsoft if Nintendo does well? It seems that its always better for Nintendo and Microsoft if Sony does poorly.
Sony took themselves out of their lead position by releasing a $600 console. They aren't even a distant 3rd right now.w/out BC. Those together got rid of the dead PS2 upgrades.
haha, its good and weird that Sony has become self sufficient. In the PSX days they just made shitty titles and I had no respect for them as a console maker. Playstation wouldn't be anywhere without Final Fantasy 7, Resident Evil, Crash Bandicoot, and Metal Gear Solid.Sony Dabbled in 1st party exclusives on the PS2 and had some powerhouses, Gran Tourismo. Then when they PS3 came out they were forced to support themselves with them. They just didn't have the experience Nintendo had with First Party games. Ironically Sony really is a Hardware company even though they take losses on the hardware.
Sony just had their n64 generation.
Sony just had their n64 generation.
Does this mean the PS4 will be Sony's Gamecube generation?
Sony just had their n64 generation.
Does this mean the PS4 will be Sony's Gamecube generation?
Depending on how you look at it, they're doing it out of order, so let's hope that it's not their Wii generation.
Sony took themselves out of their lead position by releasing a $600 console. They aren't even a distant 3rd right now.
Sony Dabbled in 1st party exclusives on the PS2 and had some powerhouses, Gran Tourismo. Then when they PS3 came out they were forced to support themselves with them. They just didn't have the experience Nintendo had with First Party games. Ironically Sony really is a Hardware company even though they take losses on the hardware.
Actually, there was a news story just the other day that in terms of hardware units sold, Sony's in a statistical tie with Microsoft. Microsoft does vastly outsell Sony on the software side, though.The article I read had PS3 still trailing but closer than it has ever been to 360. Regardless, point is that Sony has done an admirable job of staying competitive despite being total **** ups for pretty much this entire generation.
Agree. Though most of those haven't really brought people to the platform as much.Sony Dabbled in 1st party exclusives on the PS2 and had some powerhouses, Gran Tourismo. Then when they PS3 came out they were forced to support themselves with them. They just didn't have the experience Nintendo had with First Party games. Ironically Sony really is a Hardware company even though they take losses on the hardware.
That said, you really can't argue that Sony's 1st party studios haven't turned out some quality and in some cases unique/interesting titles this generation. Nintendo would never have published a game like Heavy Rain, and it did well for Sony despite its issues. Then there's the Uncharted trilogy, the Resistance trilogy, the Killzone duo, the Ratchet & Clank Future "trilogy" (counting Quest for Booty), the LittleBigPlanet duo, God of War 3, the Infamous duo, the upcoming 4th Sly Cooper game, etc.
And yes, I know that Insomniac is now a multi-platform studio.
I may not care for some of those titles like LittleBigPlanet and God of War 3, but overall Sony's kept me pretty satisfied this generation when it comes to PS3 exclusives. It's just a shame that the albatross of the PS3's god-awful first few years still hangs over it like it does, because I think the console has long since redeemed itself.
The Xbox is another story altogether. With a heady mix of rumors, tips and speculation, I am now stating that Xbox codename “loop” (the erstwhile XboxTV) will indeed debut a modified Win9 core. It will use a Zune HD-like hardware platform—a “main” processor with multiple dedicated assistive cores for graphics, AI, physics, sound, networking, encryption and sensors. It will be custom designed by Microsoft and two partners based on the ARM architecture. It will be cheaper than the 360, further enabling Kinect adoption. And it will be far smaller than the 360. It will also demonstrate how Windows Phone could possible implement Win9’s dev platform on the lower end.
Still sounds like the next XBox. Phone7 uses XNA already for games.
unless that AMD "leak" really was related to Nintendo afterall (which hardly seems possible since IBM is doing the CPU).
This rumorunless that AMD "leak" really was related to Nintendo afterall (which hardly seems possible since IBM is doing the CPU).
Which AMD leak? 'Cause AMD bought ATI, who made Nintendo's last two graphics chips, so both AMD and IBM are probably involved in Wii U. Was the leak about CPU specs specifically?
It's also a fairer reflection of the Xbox's target market.
Rumor: Next Xbox will be announced at CES 2012
Codenamed TEN, is all about Metro, embedded Silverlight and an Apple-like integration with Windows and Windows Phone
The dashboard preview is supposedly this week (tomorrow?) and will include the Bing search integration, Live TV hooks and more
Xbox Ten... 80? release 2012!?About time. Microsoft shouldn't have been behind integration wis with Apple considering how obvious it was.
http://twit.tv/show/windows-weekly/233 (http://twit.tv/show/windows-weekly/233)QuoteRumor: Next Xbox will be announced at CES 2012
Codenamed TEN, is all about Metro, embedded Silverlight and an Apple-like integration with Windows and Windows Phone
The dashboard preview is supposedly this week (tomorrow?) and will include the Bing search integration, Live TV hooks and more
The problem is though that the stuff it will integrate with is pure horseshit.
The problem is though that the stuff it will integrate with is pure horseshit.Compared to what?
The problem is though that the stuff it will integrate with is pure horseshit.Compared to what?
You must hate all phone and computer OSes if you believe that.
They've confirmed Windows 98 integration? Well thats a shocker considering its been EoL for over 10 years now.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGLhuF3L48UThe problem is though that the stuff it will integrate with is pure horseshit.Compared to what?
You must hate all phone and computer OSes if you believe that.
Its cool to not like Windows. That I understand but, from a clean slate its not really that bad at all now. Unfortunetly though most of the world really love XP which MS is really trying to get people to move from.
Yeah, I was burned by Vista because the Beta version was better then the Release version.Its cool to not like Windows. That I understand but, from a clean slate its not really that bad at all now. Unfortunetly though most of the world really love XP which MS is really trying to get people to move from.
Well, alot of people were burned by Vista to the point that they begged to be downgraded back to XP and now refuse to move on. Windows7 has been great so far though, so I hope they atleast keep it on par with that and let everyone else know that Win7 is what Vista was supposed to be so that they feel comfortable upgrading to something more modern.
We have already talked about a lot of the new Xbox and the name of Loop Xbox has already come twice. Today is another source who told Xboxygen some new details about the next Xbox. We will not disclose obviously not his name, but just know that it is near the middle of Microsoft .
Our source tells us that the project first began in 2005 and is divided into two parts: Part Infinity for all that hardware and part Loop for the software.
It also tells us that an announcement will be made at CES 2012. Not necessarily with a huge announcement of the first games already, but we should have some information on the new console, as some of its capabilities. CPU level, it would be a hexa-core with 2GB of DDR3, and our source also told us of a prototype dual-GPU AMD. We could not know the RAM.
Apparently Sony is also on the alert for the Playstation 4 and the teams also expect an announcement not so long ago by the Japanese giant.
The CES 2012 will start on January 10 and count on us to follow very closely what will have to say Microsoft for this show. This is an opportunity to confirm this information or not.
Ubisoft Montreal is hard at work on 'target boxes' based on the intended specifications of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor, according to an Edge source. Delivery of the first iteration of genuine devkits, running custom hardware, is expected to reach studios before Christmas, and all signs point to the finalised console arriving at retail in late 2012.
Ubisoft’s teams are said to be working on PCs containing off-the-shelf components provided by Microsoft, and it’s our understanding that several other major developers, including certain EA studios, are also in possession of these target boxes. While our source was unable to share precise specifications, it is believed that AMD is providing the bespoke GPU solution for Microsoft’s console. A Ubisoft spokesperson said: "We do not comment on rumour and speculation."
We can also reveal that one major Sony-owned studio has now ceased PlayStation 3 development, its entire focus having shifted to the console’s successor. The studio is also said to have been involved in the development process of the graphics technology adopted by Sony’s new hardware.
360 came out in 2005, why would a new system being ready at the end of year 7 be a surprise? Especially when it's been rumored for quite some time (see thread OP) that it was coming near end of 2012?Mostly because MS didn't play that card even official rumor wise when Nintendo announced the Wii U.
I doubt it comes out in 2012 though. There just wouldn't be the software for it unless they take the Twilight Princess approach with a bunch of games (including third parties).
I've said it before, but I think most of these rumors aren't about a gaming console, but rather an Xbox-branded set-top box for Video-on-demand, comparable to the Roku XS. Yeah, the thing may be able to play a few basic games, but with the rumor about the loop having an ARM-based processor, I don't see it being a power-based gaming machine. I think rumors are being crossed, and the loop, or whatever the machine with a "Zune-like interface" is going to be called isn't going to be a 360 successor, but rather an expansion of the Xbox brand, plain and simple.
Supposedly Blizzard got a neXbox1080 Dev KitBlizzard/Activision I be surprised if they didn't get one.
no other details about it except that it was more official than slapped together computer parts.
MS has made it pretty clear that Phone 7 is the closest you'll get to an XBox portable.
Does anyone here actually plan to buy this anywhere near release after the RROD fiasco? If it comes out in 2012 it seems like they are rushing it too.
After all the revisions and refunds they had to do, I'm sure they've learned their lesson about that. I couldn't imagine something like that happening again. It'd be silly.This isn't a lesson companies need to learn. No one wants to lose a billion dollars because they rushed a system out and every company already has systems in place to avoid these things. It was already silly that it happened once. Besides, I think that they believe the faulty models were well worth the head start they got on the other systems.
will Xbox remain Green, I think a Fuchsia color scheme would be cool.It will stay green. There is a story behind that. I'll find an article or type it out when I'm at my comp.
"Those rumors are silly. Microsoft is still selling a ton of Xbox 360s, and they won't replace the existing one until sales begin to slow. I think the rumors are based upon leaks about modifying the current Xbox 360 to allow it to operate Windows 8," Pachter commented. "I fully expect a new model of Xbox 360 by holiday 2012, but don't think we see a new console altogether from Microsoft until 2014."
Why would any Xbox need to run Windows 8?
To do spreadsheets and whatever else people do with computers. Hasn't Microsoft's strategy all along been to use the whole xbox thing as a Trojan horse to continue (or even expand) their Windows monopoly?I remember reading that Microsoft entered the console market to stop Sony from taking over the living room. If Microsoft wanted to expand Windows to their home consoles assuming, for example, that anyone would want to make a spreadsheet on a videogame console, they probably would have kept using Intel processors instead of switching to PowerPC. I believe that's one of the main problems with Pachter's prediction. He believes Microsoft is going to modify the Xbox 360 to run Windows 8. Why would they do that? While I'm not expert on CPU architecture, it just seems like a lot of work for a revision of a 6 year old console. That would mean Microsoft would have to either alter Windows 8 code to support PowerPC or this new Xbox 360 model running Windows 8 would have either an x86 or ARm processor and would need to emulate the entire Xbox 360 library (pretty much the reverse of how 360 emulated original Xbox games for backwards compatibility). I find neither to be terribly likely.
Windows 8 may have been designed to be architecture-agnostic. Apple did that with OS X, and you know how Microsoft loves to copy Apple. ;)*cough*Bullshit*cough*
In terms of how we see the next-gen Xbox panning out based on what our own sources tell us, we understand that Kinect is set for a significant upgrade and has a very strong likelihood of ending up bundled with the machine. It is understood that Microsoft hosted a developer soiree at Disneyland just after E3 this year where the platform holder invited partners to pitch in with ideas on where they would want the technology to go, and the challenges they had with the current platform. This signifies that it was early days for the design just a few months ago, making the 2012 story seem even less likely.
It's also believed that Microsoft will continue its successful two SKU strategy, and indeed take it much further with its new platform: a pared down machine is to be released as cheaply as possible, and positioned more along the lines of a set-top box (the use of 360 as a Netflix viewing platform in the US is colossal) and perhaps as a Kinect-themed gaming portal, while a more fully-featured machine with optical drive, hard disk and backward compatibility aimed at the hardcore would be released at a higher price-point.
The next Xbox will not be called "Xbox 720". Not only does it not make any sense, but 720 would confuse consumers because 720 is an HD resolution and not even the best HD resolution either, so consumers who own TVs capable of 1080 output or whatever might think the XBOX 720 would not output to the fullest potential. So no, that's not going to happen.http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/717093/xbox-720-ad-spotted-in-real-steel-trailer/ (http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/717093/xbox-720-ad-spotted-in-real-steel-trailer/)
I hate how this multiple SKU thing actually worked out this gen. The hard drive should be MANDATORY or devs will be afraid to use it. That shouldn't be an optional accessory.
That ad was in the movie Real Steel (aka Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots 2011) starring Hugh Jackman.
That ad was in the movie Real Steel (aka Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots 2011) starring Hugh Jackman.
Well that doesn't mean anything then. The film takes place in the future so the ad might be a joke. By the time the film takes place the Xbox 360 will have been replaced so they went with the obvious 720 name. If they used a different name the audience wouldn't get the reference.
Chozo, I get what you're saying about not wanting a one-size-fits-all model because it will play to the lowest common denominator. My concern is that devs play to the lowest common denominator anyway so they'll treat the lower model as the "standard". If there is no hard drive then devs will be reluctant to make proper use of it because the lower model owners don't have it.
I don't want ANY system that caters to casuals. Casuals don't need a system specifically dumbed down for them. They can play their dumbed down non-games on credible videogame hardware. Don't make a $900 system or anything stupid like that. The typical core gamer won't buy that either. But make a normal videogame system at a normal videogame system price and then make some casual games to attract the rubes to their normal system. Kinect is a big hit with casuals and that requires the purchase of both Kinect and a system. Casuals didn't care because they wanted to dance. If you give them a game they want they'll buy the damn thing. Fuckin' Apple products are insanely overpriced and yet everyone has their overpriced iPad and Angry Birds.
Now you're just being selfish. Hitting a mass market price is very important for mass adoption, just as important as hitting the pulse of your target audience.
I don't disagree with that but the system can't be handicapped by it. The Wii was handicapped. It made too many concessions in favour of casuals that it became a casual system. They essentially re-released the Gamecube in order to reach the low price point (with tons of mark up; but that's a different issue). You need a balancing act between having something affordable and not having something too compromised. The Wii is a very extreme example of this and I don't think MS or Nintendo will do that next gen.
I don't disagree with that but the system can't be handicapped by it. The Wii was handicapped. It made too many concessions in favour of casuals that it became a casual system. They essentially re-released the Gamecube in order to reach the low price point (with tons of mark up; but that's a different issue). You need a balancing act between having something affordable and not having something too compromised. The Wii is a very extreme example of this and I don't think MS or Nintendo will do that next gen.
Only this wasn't the reason. The sole reason for the Wii being underpowered was because after the Gamecubes poor sales, Nintendo didn't want to take a huge risk by releasing a more powerful system that might do worse. Iwata himself said the main goal for the Wii before release was to sell more than the Gamecube.
Had Nintendo known the Wii would have been as popular as it did I can guarantee they would have made the system much more powerful so it could have gotten 360/PS3 ports. But back in 2005 when they were designing the system and Nintendo's home console presence was nearly non existent because the Gamecube was doing less then 100k worldwide every month, it's not hard to see why they took a much cheaper route.
Anyway, the point is that developers treat the barebones model as the "standard" and any extra accessory can more or less be considered unsupported. So the standard needs to be capable (which the Wii was not) so I don't like the idea of having a lesser version aimed at casuals and a more advanced version aimed at core gamers. In that case the casual SKU will be the standard and devs will have that one in mind when making a game because they want the entire userbase to be able to play it.
And videogame systems should be generic in design anyway. They're merely a tool to play videogames with and therefore should be as accomodating to all types of videogames as possible. Even if you don't think the Wii was specifically aimed at casuals it's motion control focused design was not accomodating. The Wii is highly specialized. Don't think audience, don't think gimmicks, don't think videogame genres or trends. A good console is a blank canvas for developers to create game content on. The second you say "well this SKU is for this audience" you've already compromised things.
Nintendo must have had no idea what a "risk" is. Launching a console with virtually nothing to distinguish it other than a new controller is not a safe move at all. If Wii Sports bombed, and thus motion control bombed, the Wii was TOAST. Who the hell would buy a glorifed refurbed Gamecube otherwise? Going for a hardware jump was conventional and conventional is the safe move. The Wii was incredibly risky - new controller, new audience, and an approach to the hardware specs that had NEVER been done before.
The Wii was the safer choice because it gave a much bigger safety net for the company vs a Gamecube 2 which easily could have wiped out half of what Nintendo was worth back in 2005 if it failed.
An optical drive as an extra for the higher end SKU? So what, does the **** one only play downloadable titles? Did MS not observe how much of a disaster the PSP Go was? The only way you can not have a way to play physical media is if EVERY game is available for download purchase. The download option is MORE hardcore and tech savvy.Ian is making some good points today. Making your casual system download only is stupid. Buying the physical copy at the store is the casual way. The less technologically inclined have trouble setting up their consoles and connecting them to the internet. I can think of so many people who never would have bought a Wii if Wii Sports or Wii Fit was download only.
yeah, Zune is considered a ghetto iProduct by most, but Xbox has good branding.
too bad the zune failed. I have a ZuneHD and actually think the interface is much better. I have an iphone now but i still end up using the zuneShould try a Windows Phone sometime.
too bad the zune failed.
Except Microsoft hasn't had a monopoly in either of those markets in a while, especially web browsers. And wanting competition is exactly why you should want the Zune to be successful. I may be an Apple fanboy, but I still want somebody out there keeping Apple on their toes, forcing them to continue to improve.
Yeah, I don't see smart phone ever replacing computers. At most they would compliment them, but the market for people to switch over only to smart phones is pretty slim and niche. It's like how 2 years ago you had people claiming netbooks would take over, and now those are pretty much dying. Smartphones can not and will not ever be able to duplicate the experience of a PC/desktop.
Microsoft plans to release a next-generation Kinect device so accurate it can lip read, sources have told Eurogamer.
Kinect 2 will come bundled with future Xbox consoles, we understand.
The intention is that Kinect 2 will offer improved motion sensing and voice recognition.
One development source told Eurogamer that Kinect 2 will be so powerful it will enable games to lip read, detect when players are angry, and determine in which direction they are facing.
Kinect 2 can track the pitch and volume of player voices and facial characteristics to measure different emotional states.
The current Kinect is hamstrung by having to pass data to the Xbox 360 through ageing USB technology - an issue discussed by Eurogamer last year.
When Kinect launched in November 2010 the depth sensor was set at a 30 frames per second limit and a 320x240 resolution limit. The issue relates to the USB controller interface, which is capable of around 35MB/s, but it only uses around 15/16MB/s. This artificial limit is in place because multiple USB devices can be used at once on an Xbox 360.
Kinect 2, however, can feed the next Xbox more information, and thus a higher resolution CCD [charge-coupled device].
"It can be cabled straight through on any number of technologies that just take phenomenally high res data straight to the main processor and straight to the main RAM and ask, what do you want to do with it?" our source said.
Microsoft reportedly plans to launch two very different versions of the next Xbox.
According to a Digital Foundry report on GamesIndustry.biz, the first is a "pared down machine" to be released as cheaply as possible. It is likened to a set-top box, and will act as a Kinect-themed gaming portal.
The second is a "more fully-featured machine" with optical drive, hard disk and backwards compatibility. This would be aimed at hardcore gamers and released at a higher price-point.
Next-generation talk has ramped up in recent weeks, with Edge reporting that the next Xbox will launch late next year.
Digital Foundry believes this is unlikely, however, suggesting a 2013 launch. The console is rumoured to be set for a reveal at E3 2012.
Edge also claimed advanced development kits were already at major publishers and their teams - a suggestion corroborated by Eurogamer sources. We have been unable to verify the rumour that AMD is providing the GPU, however.
A report by MSNerd called the next Xbox the Xbox Loop - or the Xbox TV, which may relate to the rumoured cheaper Kinect 2 SKU.
Eurogamer understands Loop was the codename of Microsoft's early motion-sensing technology that predated Nintendo's July 2008 Wii Motion Plus announcement. It was a device that wrapped around a player's arm, and was said to be more accurate than both the Wii and the PlayStation Move controller.
Microsoft told Eurogamer it "does not comment on rumour or speculation".
Its sort of an interesting take on Kinect 2. Lip Reading would help Speech Recognition with some of the trickier words.
All exciting stuff.
So does this mean Kinect 2 will mark the return of the Joystick (by "Joystick" I mean a certain part of the male anatomy) as an input method? ;)
I'm just joking... but imagine being able to play the God of War sex mini games this way....
but the ESRB is a lot better than the MPAA. You wanna talk about crazy, inconsistent ratings, go that route.
As Microsoft's Xbox group moves toward launching a successor to the Xbox 360, it will do so without the brand and design leadership of Don Coyner, who has guided that strategy since the console's inception more than a decade ago.
Two sources who work for Microsoft say Coyner is no longer leading the design and experience group for Xbox. One of those sources said Coyner was replaced by Emma Williams, who helped guide the just-launched redesign of the Xbox Live interface.
Microsoft declined to confirm or deny the organization changes. "We don't comment on personnel issues," a spokesman said.
[...]
Williams, Coyner's replacement, will be tasked with guiding the design and brand strategy as the group moves toward launching the next console. The game developer Web site Develop recently pegged the launch of the next console for 2013, something a source on the Xbox team confirmed. Microsoft declined to comment on the timing of the next Xbox.
Isn't the new Xbox Dashboard just a Metro-ized interface? If you don't like it on the Xbox, you sure aren't going to like it on your PC next year. :(.
If Windows 8 is like the 360 Bastardization of the interface yeah its going to be bad. If its like the Phone 7 interface its going to be the Hotness.
Rumor has it that while Assassins Creed III will be aimed at Wii U, Splinter Cell 6 will be aimed at the nextgen Xbox.That sounds more like an integrations strategy. XBox Fusion Everything from Your Xbox.
Rumor also has it that the new name being circulated is XboxFusion
www.XboxFusion.com (http://www.XboxFusion.com) (it redirects you back to xbox.com)
Both the Xbox 360 successor AND a follow up to the PS3 will be shown at E3 2012.
The LA show tease will come as Wii U launch details are locked in – and should ensure no ground is lost between competing consoles.
It will mark the very first time in the show’s 17-year history that three fresh, rival console formats will be so directly comparable.
Microsoft has long been rumoured to detail its next-gen plans at E3 2012, and recently signalled to partners this will happen, MCV has been told.
The 360 is one of the longest-serving games consoles in history. But the real surprise is an early move from Sony. Execs at the PlayStation firm have made it clear to third-parties that they will not be left behind this time.
Execs aren’t expecting price or launch details for the new Xbox or PlayStation. But their unveiling could be a perfect spoiler to the pre-Christmas launch date and price that will be revealed for Wii U in June.
Xbox 720 or PS4 by the end of this year? It could happen, according to a developer source IndustryGamers spoke with. After MCV reported that this is going to be the first E3 where all three platform holders would show three new consoles, we chatted with a well connected source who told us that Christmas 2012 has been his expectation for some time now - and it stems from the chip makers.
"The 'trick' to these rumors is not the console manufacturers themselves, but rather the chip makers. All indications from them are that things change significantly (ie next generation) come November of this year. As such, it has been my presumption since the middle of this past year that we would see new boxes in the market for Christmas of 2012," our source commented.
If the rumors are to be believed, the guts of the new Xbox, presumably some kind of insane multicore CPU and crazy powerful graphics chipset, will be teased nice and early as part of Microsoft's final showing at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. Expect it to be properly revealed, with a name and everything, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in early June. If that timing is accurate, it seems likely that we'll see it in stores by the 2013 holiday season.
But what of the box itself? Given Microsoft's recent efforts at unification across its Windows, Mobile, and Xbox product lines, it seems clear that the 720 or whatever they end up calling it (surely not that) will be the ultimate personification of that strategy. There are strong signs suggesting that, like with Nintendo's Wii U, a tablet component figures heavily into the new design. That saucy Windows 8 Metro interface (now also seen on the Xbox Dashboard) just begs to be touched. Speculation as to the form it will take has been rife for the past few months, with some even suggesting that the core of the new platform will be akin to a tablet PC that wirelessly connects to a base station, which in turn plugs into your TV. If this is the case, a premium Xbox Next setup could feasibly include a base station, a tablet, a conventional controller of some kind, and the recently discussed high-def evolution of the Kinect. Thank goodness for wireless connections if that's the case; otherwise, we're in for one hell of a mess of cables.
Here is something that you may not know.
MS was developing a pretty sweet looking tablet called the Courier. It opened like a book and had touch screens on both sides. I was looking forward to it being released even if I have no need or plans to purchase a tablet.
The Courier got cancelled and the Courier team got moved into the Xbox Division.
Many many months later you have this rumor of an XBox tablet...
It doesn't really surprise me if it should turn out to be true, but I still don't see it happening... It might be good if they do it just like the uPad, otherwise it will be a cumbersome and cluttered experience for Xbox gamers next gen.
Lastly, the download only system would help Microsft solve the issue of what optical format the 720 will use once it hits the market.
Lastly, the download only system would help Microsft solve the issue of what optical format the 720 will use once it hits the market.
I'm pretty sure they will use Bluray. Also, while I'm sure there will be different xbox Skus available one without an optical drive is unlikely. Look at the PSP Go for an example of how well that idea pans out.
No disc drive only works if EVERY game is available for download. Sony tried that **** with the PSP Go but it was ridiculous because the majority of PSP games were only available in disc format.
I personally wouldn't like it because you can't possibly buy used games for it. I can see the obvious advantage to the videogame companies in that but not one for the customer.
A disc only console would bomb (even if every game was available digitally). Yes some people would buy it, but most people who buy game systems will want a physical disc.
What happens if Steam goes up in smoke? Then all your Steam games are toast. I think I'd rather stick with owning a tangible disc based copy which I can count on to still be usable a decade later.
What happens if Steam goes up in smoke? Then all your Steam games are toast. I think I'd rather stick with owning a tangible disc based copy which I can count on to still be usable a decade later.
One thing about the next generation of consoles is that online retail is going to become even more robust. I look for consumer rights to become increasingly integrted into the online retail so that if you buy something digitally it is your property all the way.
What happens if Steam goes up in smoke? Then all your Steam games are toast. I think I'd rather stick with owning a tangible disc based copy which I can count on to still be usable a decade later.
One thing about the next generation of consoles is that online retail is going to become even more robust. I look for consumer rights to become increasingly integrted into the online retail so that if you buy something digitally it is your property all the way.
What happens if Steam goes up in smoke? Then all your Steam games are toast. I think I'd rather stick with owning a tangible disc based copy which I can count on to still be usable a decade later.
What happens if Steam goes up in smoke? Then all your Steam games are toast. I think I'd rather stick with owning a tangible disc based copy which I can count on to still be usable a decade later.
Valve is on record as saying that if Steam went down for the count, they'd supply an unlock key to allow the games to continue playing. The onus would be on the user to store the games somewhere, but they'd still be playable.
Honestly, I have never liked optical media, so I kind of wish that the industry would return to cartridges. I would really like digital distribution, but the bandwidth issues are not going to get resolved any time soon. Cartridges are still too cost prohibitive at the moment, but the thing that rekindled my interest is the Vita. Overall, I do not want that as my gaming system, but I like the fact that it uses cartridges for games that look like those for console.
Honestly, I have never liked optical media, so I kind of wish that the industry would return to cartridges. I would really like digital distribution, but the bandwidth issues are not going to get resolved any time soon. Cartridges are still too cost prohibitive at the moment, but the thing that rekindled my interest is the Vita. Overall, I do not want that as my gaming system, but I like the fact that it uses cartridges for games that look like those for console.
So what is the 3DS then? Dirt on the bottom of your shoe? The 3DS has been out for almost a year and has used cartridges since day one. You are acting like this is something new and revolutionary with the Vita, but Nintendo has always been doing it with handhelds.
Not to mention that if someone bought Valve, the new owners might not have that same opinion.
It's in no one's best interest to take away digitally purchased games.
It's in no one's best interest to take away digitally purchased games.
It is if its some rival platform that wants to force people to buy those games all over again so they can rake in more money.
Valve isn't publicly traded, though. They'd have to agree to being bought out, and that would require a massive change in their culture.
Now for the new stuff. The XBox Next/720 Oban chip is in initial production. Sources at a foundry with a blue logo, confirm that Oban wafers started running in the final days of 2011. Sources on the other side of the continent in Redmond when questioned, said, “Who the f*&$ told you that? I am going to f#*&ing rip someone’s head off”. We at SemiAccurate take this as confirmation that the initial sources were in the right ballpark.
It seems now that recent speculation that the new main System on a Chip (SoC) for the Next Xbox (or Xbox 720, if you like) began production is apparently accurate; the SoC did indeed start production in late December of 2011. Sources tell us that the code name for the chip is Oban, and it is being produced by both IBM and Global Foundries for Microsoft.
If speculation is correct, which our sources believe it is, the power behind the next Xbox will be a PowerPC CPU that is married to an ATI Southern Islands GPU, or modified 7000 series. Continued rumors of an x86 compatible CPU seem to be bunk, just based on where the chip is being fab’d.
This first run of these 32nm Oban chips will be destined for developer consoles, so any hope for a holiday console release in 2012 seems unrealistic, according to our sources, but an announcement perhaps before the end of the year might be possible. It would seem Microsoft’s strategy of getting it in 2013 is all but assured. We do think that the chips will be in production by the end of the year for consoles destined to be sold in 2013, which seems to agree with what others are saying.
There are still many unknowns, but those in the development community seem to be clued in at least a high level. From the shadows we hear whispers of expecting development kits as early as March, but more than likely April, if all goes well.
While we expect these development kits to shed some light on what Microsoft will be doing with the Next Xbox/720, it is very likely that we will see at least couple of revisions before everything is settled as they get closer to an actual production unit.
neXbox 720 chip is codenamed Oban?
I'll just stick with Nintendo and Sony next generation.
because alot of people will not buy a console with DRM.
Have you see PC sales? Very few titles sell well anymore (Starcraft/Diablo and some MMOs) and it's why you see more and more developers dropping PC support.
Have you see PC sales? Very few titles sell well anymore (Starcraft/Diablo and some MMOs) and it's why you see more and more developers dropping PC support. DRM wasn't help piracy all that much on the PC.
PC gamers are just killing themsleves.
The next Xbox will be a matt-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room with augmented reality, directional sound, and a four-player finger-tracking Kinect. We told you all that last month. This month, our sources tell us it will have a touchscreen, too.
Microsoft are experimenting with a tablet-like controller with a shape closer to Sony's sleek Vita handheld / Apple's iPad than Wii U's bulky unit - it's an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks.
On 360 that touchscreen will be second only to Kinect in how you operate your console. It could be a remote control when you're watching TV, a browser when you're on the internet, extra buttons and information when playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you.
..
Expect to see the next Xbox at E3 this June.
The DICE summit is currently taking place as awards are being handed out and moments ago Mark Rein took the stage. While talking about Unreal Engine 4 he said that the graphics engine was running on “systems I can’t talk about by name.” This would obviously point to the next generation of consoles being pretty far into development. Let the rumors continue to come out of the woodworks!
UPDATE: The quote was technically “Including systems we can’t name yet.”
Ceric, do you think Leapfrog might be that unnamed console that the Unreal 4 engine is being ported to? ;)That would be awesome. Now that Tad has aged out of the education programs, he's at least in college now, he's looking for some Real Edutainment.
Already posted about it on the last page (with the original source ;) ). It's what led into the apple talk.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=32855.msg718448#msg718448 (http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=32855.msg718448#msg718448)
Microsoft to copy Nintendo.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/10/report-xbox-720-to-use-touchscreen-controller (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/10/report-xbox-720-to-use-touchscreen-controller)
According to a report from Xbox World magazine, the controller will be "an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks." The magazine goes on to state that the controller “could be a remote control when you're watching TV, a browser when you're on the internet, extra buttons and information when you're playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you."
I wouldn't be surprised at all. But if it does turn out to be true, I would have wished for Sony and Microsoft to come up with something new that was unique.
They're still launching first.
The Wii U also has the Wiimote+ (hopefully Nintendo will show a new, more stable iteration this E3). Say what you want, but it is hands down better than Kinect and Move.
Nintendo revealing the tablet early may prove to be bad for them but it actually better for the Wii U overall. Nintendo were the oddballs with the Wii and that is exactly why the Wii got lame third party support. The Wii was too different from the other systems to get the conventional stuff. But if everyone has a tablet this coming gen then Nintendo are actually conventional while at the same time being the guys who initiated the idea in the first place. Instead of making some unique tablet game for the Wii U that is handled by the B team and is not nearly as good as the "real" game made for Sony and MS, it will just be the same game.
Nintendo being weird and unique screws them on third party support. If everyone copies them before the generation starts then they are unintentionally conventional. And Nintendo doesn't have to even feel bad about being conventional because they established the convention!
MCV has learnt that Microsoft has been telling partners that the Next Xbox will NOT include a disc drive.
The briefings have been issued under what MCV’s source describes as “the strictest NDA” they have ever encountered.
Although the console will not include a disc drive, it will offer compatibility with some sort of interchangeable solid-state card storage, although it is not known whether this will be proprietary or a more standard format such as SD.
Furthermore, a 2013 launch date for the hardware has been confirmed.
I wonder if Microsoft is thinking about having consumers come in stores with USB memory drives or flash memory cards to grab the game data and then install it to the Durango hard drive. That sounds like too much of a hassle compared to buying a plastic box with a plastic disc in it.With the internet that technique is dead. It would be a cart.
Though if they want to do it, fine. I wouldn't mind MS shooting themselves in the foot.
Microsoft can certainly try but they're losing their most important advantage: launching first. Sony stupidly selling a $600 console didn't hurt either. The few exclusives MS scrored weren't major difference makers. Gears of War, for example, was awesome but rushing the 360 launch and Sony's inadequacies were what really put MS in a prime position.
On top of that, I'm sure Microsoft has tried to lock in more exclusives this entire generation but being able to release a game across 2 (soon to be 3 consoles) is probably driving the cost of exclusivity too high, even for Microsoft. Their best bet is to make their own exclusives. Personally, I rank them last in terms of 1st party titles. No one touches Nintendo and if I want a second console, Sony's 1st party games trump Microsoft's.
Looking back in restrospect, wasn't the first Xbox a mediocre console at best?
It's rumored that Obsidian's cancelled project was for 720 and was 7 months in development. If that's true, it heavily suggests a 2013 launch for MS
MS says E3 2012 will be all about 360
http://www.gamespot.com/news/no-new-xbox-hardware-at-e3-microsoft-6366366 (http://www.gamespot.com/news/no-new-xbox-hardware-at-e3-microsoft-6366366)
So Nintendo better shine really bright. They practically have the show to themselves... But you know Sony will announce something with some sot of "target" render that will never be achieved just to rain on Nintendo's parade.
MS says E3 2012 will be all about 360
True. And on a semi-related note, I'm personally amazed that the Wii still costs what, like $150 despite the fact that it costs Nintendo a banana and a handful of sand to manufacture those things.
(http://i.imgur.com/yc61c.png)True. And on a semi-related note, I'm personally amazed that the Wii still costs what, like $150 despite the fact that it costs Nintendo a banana and a handful of sand to manufacture those things.
*lengthy explanation*
(http://i.imgur.com/yc61c.png)
You responded seriously to a post claiming that Nintendo currently manufactures the Wii at a cost of a single banana and a handful of sand. Bravo, Luigi Dude. Bravo.
I just wanna remind you guys that I had it written on a napkin (by the same person that fed me RE6 on Wii U) that X720 aka "Durango" isn't coming till 2014, and PS3 is supposed to be 2013.
so take that how you will, but I would suggest a spoonful ofsugarsalt.
Isn't that Kytim?
I just wanna remind you guys that I had it written on a napkin (by the same person that fed me RE6 on Wii U) that X720 aka "Durango" isn't coming till 2014, and PS3 is supposed to be 2013.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg721397;topicseen#msg721397
so take that how you will, but I would suggest a spoonful ofsugarsalt.
There aren't a lot of advantages to launching last.
There's only one advantage I can think of, and that would be that by being last you get to make use of the latest tech which means you can have the most powerful hardware. But history has shown this one advantage usually doesn't offset the disadvantage of being last.Especially since, as previously stated, 3rd party titles will mostly be multiplatform so even with more powerful hardware, I'm not convinced that there will be many 3rd party developers tapping into that extra power.
VG247 has learned that Microsoft has now detailed Xbox 720 to certain partners and has internally confirmed the machine for a Christmas 2013 release.
The next generation Xbox will have a Blu-ray drive, contrary to a recent report.
Multiple sources have confirmed this morning that the machine will have two GPUs. One said: “It’s like two PCs taped together.”
We’re waiting for final confirmation of specs, but the graphics cards are thought to be equivalent to AMD’s 7000 series GPUs, but “not CrossFire or SLI”. The GPUs aren’t structured as they are in a normal dual PC set-up, in which the two chips take it in turns to draw lines of the same object: Xbox 720′s graphics units will be able to work independently, drawing separate items simultaneously.
There will be “four or six” cores to the Xbox 720 CPU, one of which will be reserved for Kinect and one for the OS.
Xbox 720 will require an always-on internet connection as an anti-piracy measure.
We’ve also been told that the next generation of Kinect will be built into the device as standard.
I refuse to believe that they're stupid enough to require always-on internet until and unless they come out and announce it themselves. That might reduce piracy, but not nearly as much as it would reduce sales.
I refuse to believe that they're stupid enough to require always-on internet until and unless they come out and announce it themselves. That might reduce piracy, but not nearly as much as it would reduce sales.
Well, Activision Blizzard is doing that for games like Diablo III, so Microsoft wouldn't be the first to do it. Still a stupid idea for any company though.
We don't know if this will affect its sales or not or if the whole concept will go over like a lead balloon.
Diablo III could require procuring a first born and giving them to Blizzard as payment and it would still sell decently. The Diablo series, in General, Blizzard has had a real bad time with Pirating. As far as DRM is going what they are doing really isn't that bad. It stinks you can't play Offline. I will admit that, but its better then half baked DRM solutions.
I do wonder how long Internet can keep its current status and not become a service like Electricity and Phone.
I just wanna remind you guys that I had it written on a napkin (by the same person that fed me RE6 on Wii U) that X720 aka "Durango" isn't coming till 2014, and PS3 is supposed to be 2013.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg721397;topicseen#msg721397 (http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg721397;topicseen#msg721397)
so take that how you will, but I would suggest a spoonful ofsugarsalt.
I just wanna remind you guys that I had it written on a napkin (by the same person that fed me RE6 on Wii U) that X720 aka "Durango" isn't coming till 2014, and PS3 is supposed to be 2013.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg721397;topicseen#msg721397 (http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=16688.msg721397;topicseen#msg721397)
so take that how you will, but I would suggest a spoonful ofsugarsalt.
So Microsoft is going to ride the 360 wave as long as they can? Good for them.
As for Sony, they should do a "wait and see" approach with the PS4, since they still haven't completely recovered financially from the PS3's disastrous launch (which was 6 years ago).
We're talking about Microsoft right? The only company to not have a wireless card come standard? Also, the company that asked you to pay $100 if you wanted to buy one.Remember that M$ rushed the 360 to market to be first for the new generation. The sacrifices they made cost them a lot with the RROD and no wireless. This time around, they probably will be last and RROD will probably not happen (at least not in the numbers we saw before the slim was released).
They're also the company with a giant 'Ghostbusters' brick attached to their console, to trap the ghosts of all RROD machines just before they ascend to the heavens.
We're talking about that Microsoft right?
Plus let's not forget that Diablo III is not out yet. We don't know if this will affect its sales or not or if the whole concept will go over like a lead balloon. We're just assuming that because it's Blizzard it will be fine but we don't know yet.It doesn't seem to have held back Starcraft II sales and that also requires an always-on internet connection.
Bolded for emphasis. Internet is not treated like Electricity and Phones which is regulated and governmentally funded for the benefit of the citizenship.Diablo III could require procuring a first born and giving them to Blizzard as payment and it would still sell decently. The Diablo series, in General, Blizzard has had a real bad time with Pirating. As far as DRM is going what they are doing really isn't that bad. It stinks you can't play Offline. I will admit that, but its better then half baked DRM solutions.
I do wonder how long Internet can keep its current status and not become a service like Electricity and Phone.
Internet access is already a service. You pay to acquire a modem / router that you use to connect to the Internet.
They're also the company with a giant 'Ghostbusters' brick attached to their console, to trap the ghosts of all RROD machines just before they ascend to the heavens.
Plus let's not forget that Diablo III is not out yet. We don't know if this will affect its sales or not or if the whole concept will go over like a lead balloon. We're just assuming that because it's Blizzard it will be fine but we don't know yet.It doesn't seem to have held back Starcraft II sales and that also requires an always-on internet connection.
Plus let's not forget that Diablo III is not out yet. We don't know if this will affect its sales or not or if the whole concept will go over like a lead balloon. We're just assuming that because it's Blizzard it will be fine but we don't know yet.It doesn't seem to have held back Starcraft II sales and that also requires an always-on internet connection.
The difference is that Diablo is single-player only, there is not multiplayer in it. So the constant Internet connection is ridiculous.
Wasn't there talk about the X420 being digital download only? I don't know if that's true or not, but that would knock off the BRD and its associated cost. Kinect 2.0 could be sold separately from the system just like Kinect 1 was. They could also do like the Wii U is doing and rip out the HDD in favor for some onboard flash and/or an SD card slot. By the time the thing launches they should be able to offer 32gb or 64gb of on board flash for a minimal cost.
Realistically, I think MS will repeat what they've done with the 360 and offer multiple SKUs. The basic low end 420 Arcade unit would come without Kinect 2.0, BRD, or HDD, but you can be able to purchase all of those as separate add ons if you desire. The low end Arcade SKU might run $299 or so. Then there would be the 420 Elite model which has all of that stuff integrated by default and that might run $499 or something. There could also be an intermediate model which offers some but not all of those things.
Tell me why in the world would they sell a disc dive-less version and not include a massive HDD?
And all the rumors say that Kinect 2.0 is integral to the design and will be included out of the box.
So if you are gonna have a dream scenarios, then they should both have Kinect in the box and either a BRD and/or HDD.
It doesn't matter if it is a really expensive system. They will just mark it up and recover a bit of the loss in Australia. Everywhere else will get it for a reasonable price.
1 or 2 games and your memory is full?
It doesn't matter if it is a really expensive system. They will just mark it up and recover a bit of the loss in Australia. Everywhere else will get it for a reasonable price.
You can't run an entire slave mining operation on one Australian.
1 or 2 games and your memory is full?
Depends on how much onboard flash it would have. Personally, I think Nintendo is making a mistake giving the Wii U only 8gb of storage. Don't you agree with that assessment? 8gb on the X420 would also be too little, but Microsoft could opt for double or quadruple or even more that amount, which in 1-2 years should be much cheaper to pull off since flash memory seems to double every year.
8-16gb of storage would only be enough for a few games and that's it, but what if we are talking 32gb or 64gb of storage? Then it becomes a little more reasonable. I know that's expensive right now, but in 2014 it shouldn't be.
1 or 2 games and your memory is full?
Depends on how much onboard flash it would have. Personally, I think Nintendo is making a mistake giving the Wii U only 8gb of storage. Don't you agree with that assessment? 8gb on the X420 would also be too little, but Microsoft could opt for double or quadruple or even more that amount, which in 1-2 years should be much cheaper to pull off since flash memory seems to double every year.
8-16gb of storage would only be enough for a few games and that's it, but what if we are talking 32gb or 64gb of storage? Then it becomes a little more reasonable. I know that's expensive right now, but in 2014 it shouldn't be.
It depends on what the space is going to be used for. 64 GB is in no way reasonable for a download-only machine, especially with Sony and Nintendo using discs that can hold up to 50 GB.
In Nintendo's case, it remains to be seen whether or not 8 GB will be enough for the average user. If they intend to sell GameCube games as downloads, that could get eaten up pretty quick. Though, if the current state of the Wii and 3DS Virtual Consoles is any indicator, it'd be a while before there were enough of them released for that to be a problem.
If anyone can point out any single game which requires 50gb of space then please point out. Even if such a game does exist I'm sure its an extremely rare exception with the majority of modern games being in the range of probably about 2-10gb.
If most modern retail games are in the 2-10gb range then a 64gb on board flash should be able to hold a good number of them at any time. When the drive gets to be full and you need room you can just uninstall the ones you aren't playing.
It depends on what the space is going to be used for. 64 GB is in no way reasonable for a download-only machine, especially with Sony and Nintendo using discs that can hold up to 50 GB.
Actually, the iOS file size limit is 2GB. 50MB for over the air files though.
MS will follow Sony's lead (just as Nintendo has already announced they are set up to do) and offer full size retail games for digital consumption.
Those games are gonna span from 6-8GB all the way up to 25GB+ at some point. If we are talking a download only Next Gen 1080p HD console (which was rumored to be very set-top box/DVR like), 64GB is not gonna be enough, but it's far better than 32GB standard..
I think there are current HD Demo's that take up 2-4GB in space already being offered.
I have not seen any rumors that Xbox 3 won't have a disc drive, the only rumor I have heard close is that a redesigned Xbox 360 won't have a disc drive (as it will be focused on XBLA).http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/122/1220412p1.html
The thing is, cloud services are not that good as the only source of something. If you download a Xbox Live Arcade game, you will still have that game even if Xbox Live gets shut down. You pay $50 to "buy" a game on OnLive, you lose it forever if OnLive shuts down (not to mention not being able to play any games if your Internet goes down). If there was a way to download those games, it might be different.
The thing is, cloud services are not that good as the only source of something. If you download a Xbox Live Arcade game, you will still have that game even if Xbox Live gets shut down. You pay $50 to "buy" a game on OnLive, you lose it forever if OnLive shuts down (not to mention not being able to play any games if your Internet goes down). If there was a way to download those games, it might be different.
That is only a problem for consumers. It doesn't matter at all to the company behind it if consumers one day find themselves unable to access the stuff they purchased. So just because its a problem for consumers doesn't mean it wouldn't be done. If OnLive ever goes under it will suck for the people who use it, but since OnLive will no longer exist its not going to be their problem.
Another rumor. The Xbox 720 to have 16 core CPU?
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/12/report-next-xbox-to-sport-a-16-core-cpu (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/12/report-next-xbox-to-sport-a-16-core-cpu)
Sounds a bit too extreme for a console (not to mention expensive!). I can't help but think that this may be a bit overkill if it is true, but we'll see.
And Starcraft II has a full single player campaign that you can't play unless connected to the internet. So I'm not even sure what the argument was there.Plus let's not forget that Diablo III is not out yet. We don't know if this will affect its sales or not or if the whole concept will go over like a lead balloon. We're just assuming that because it's Blizzard it will be fine but we don't know yet.It doesn't seem to have held back Starcraft II sales and that also requires an always-on internet connection.
The difference is that Diablo is single-player only, there is not multiplayer in it. So the constant Internet connection is ridiculous.
What are you talking about? Of course Diablo III has multiplayer; they cut the competitive multiplayer, but it still does co-op, which is a pretty big emphasis of it. It's still stupid to require always-on Internet even when playing single player, but Diablo III is no worse than any other game doing it.
FFXIII required a dual layer BD. Yes, it had uncompressed video, but if you look at comparisons of the PS3 version and the 360 version (which required either 3 or 4 discs, can't remember which), the PS3 version looks better in all aspects of the game, not just the CGI sequences.If anyone can point out any single game which requires 50gb of space then please point out. Even if such a game does exist I'm sure its an extremely rare exception with the majority of modern games being in the range of probably about 2-10gb.
Kojima claimed MGS4 used up the full 50GB of space. Even if that is true, I have no doubt it's because they chose to do so much uncompressed video/audio and having data written multiple times on the disc to decrease loading times.
... 16 cores could end up being meaningless, more of a marketing term like Atari bragging that Jaguar was "64 Bit."
Another rumor. The Xbox 720 to have 16 core CPU?
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/12/report-next-xbox-to-sport-a-16-core-cpu (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/12/report-next-xbox-to-sport-a-16-core-cpu)
Sounds a bit too extreme for a console (not to mention expensive!). I can't help but think that this may be a bit overkill if it is true, but we'll see.
I know it's been said before, but it looks like it'll be a 16 thread, 4 core processor, (http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/6506/surferibm05s021512.jpg) not 16 cores.
Streaming only is a terrible idea and I think any system that uses it will bomb, it's even worse than having to enter a Online Pass for a game.
I think giving players the option to do it is fine, but not the only option.
Re playing games streaming: I could see MS (or Nintendo with VC) doing a Netflix-like service where a large catalogue is available all the time for a flat fee and you stream-play what you want.
Maybe with console games (not VC or XBLA type games), MS could charge a monthly fee that would let you play up to 3 or 5 selected games at once or something like that.
If a streaming service operated more like Netflix, where you pay a flat monthly fee and got access to anything you want, I think it would be more well-received. And more importantly, there are other options for people who want to buy things physically or as downloads. Like he said, options are good but forcing only streaming is a bad idea, especially with internet access in this country in the shape it's in right now.
Netflix is not streaming only. OnLive is somewhat successful, but is bad for gamers for reasons I already stated. Music is not the same because it's like listening to the radio (even TV shows and movies are different). With music, you can always have a digital or physical copy of the song separate. I should also point out that Pandora and Last.FM are free. If a video game service was FREE too, then streaming-only isn't bad.Pandora and Last.FM are not free. They constantly have commercials every 2-4 songs, same as radio. Your idea of video game streaming, to coincide with the Pandora/Last.FM comparison, would require games to pause every 20-30 minutes and have a commercial and then allow you to play again, a la Hulu with free video streaming. It's not a good comparison unless you think getting interupted while playing every 30 minutes to get to watch a commercial. You could include an option like Pandora where you buy a premium account and get rid of the commercials. Oh wait, that is what OnLive does.
Pandora and Last.FM are not free. They constantly have commercials every 2-4 songs, same as radio.
I didn't word that correctly. let me try again.Pandora and Last.FM are not free. They constantly have commercials every 2-4 songs, same as radio.
Funny, I thought not paying for something meant it was FREE.
There is also the possibility of in game ads.
Billboards, product placement, sponsorships, etc etc.
There are iOS apps that show how it can work. Have a ad that shows up before you play a game, and have stuff like load screens feature ads. Like for a FPS, in-between rounds they can play a 15 second ad.What happens with the single player parts?
The ads will show on the slow opening doors what are really hidden load times.There are iOS apps that show how it can work. Have a ad that shows up before you play a game, and have stuff like load screens feature ads. Like for a FPS, in-between rounds they can play a 15 second ad.What happens with the single player parts?
Glad to see someone else noticed TJ's sudden change in opinion. It was disturbing.
Now, I respect my opponent. I think he's a good man. But quite frankly, I agree with everything he just said.Greater words have never been said.
Glad to see someone else noticed TJ's sudden change in opinion. It was disturbing.
Now, I respect my opponent. I think he's a good man. But quite frankly, I agree with everything he just said.
Almost every game looked the same. Even Tomb Raider and Resident Evil looked the same. How many helicopters exploded in the press conference? It reminds me of the Crysis helicopter exploding last year.
Of course, there are QTEs in both of those games. I do think the new Tomb Raider looks much better though and I already preordered it last year. :)Almost every game looked the same. Even Tomb Raider and Resident Evil looked the same. How many helicopters exploded in the press conference? It reminds me of the Crysis helicopter exploding last year.
OK, let's not insult the awesomeness of the Tomb Raider reboot by comparing it to yet another action-heavy, QTE-centric Resident Evil game. Tomb Raider looks much more complex and entertaining.
Almost every game looked the same. Even Tomb Raider and Resident Evil looked the same. How many helicopters exploded in the press conference? It reminds me of the Crysis helicopter exploding last year.
OK, let's not insult the awesomeness of the Tomb Raider reboot by comparing it to yet another action-heavy, QTE-centric Resident Evil game. Tomb Raider looks much more complex and entertaining.
LOL @ the people who thought MS and Sony would announce new systems this year.
I'm still holding out hope that Nintendo will wow us at some point. The majority of games that have been announced have been western games. Maybe they are holding onto the 3rd party Japanese games for their own conference in Japan to show those games.
There is no new Xbox or PlayStation console this year. End of story.Why would the thread be dead? If anything it should have been renamed months ago when I was told that PS4/X720 won't hit till end of 2013 and then again when Sony and MS both said they wouldn' be announcing any new hardware this year at E3.
/thread dead
I'm still holding out hope that Nintendo will wow us at some point. The majority of games that have been announced have been western games.
If Nintendo would've waiting to show the Wii U until this year, they would've run the risk of MS showing off their **** first. And let's not forget the number of leaks we got about the controller. The cat would've been out of the bag had they waited. Plus, they wouldn't have **** to show in 2011. I mean, aside from the dozens of Wii games we got.
Duke Nukem Forever had a LOT of things going wrong for it. And showing first matters more than launching first. If I show off some crazy, new innovative feature, then other companies are going to need time to imitate it. The less time they take, the shittier it'll look next to the genuine article. So, showing first almost guarantees I'll launch first unless I hit some serious delays.
Duke Nukem Forever had a LOT of things going wrong for it. And showing first matters more than launching first. If I show off some crazy, new innovative feature, then other companies are going to need time to imitate it. The less time they take, the shittier it'll look next to the genuine article. So, showing first almost guarantees I'll launch first unless I hit some serious delays.
Duke Nukem's problem is that the developers (3D Realms) took forever to make it, and they were hit with a ton of debt during the game's development. This caused them to repeatedly shelve the game. It wasn't until Gearbox offered to pick up the IP that the game finally got finished. But then Gearbox tried to put their own spin on what 3D Realms had created. This resulted in a disjointed game.
I don't know what Microsoft needs to do to get me back on their side, but their brand of exclusives, Kinect, and paying for XBL aren't helping. I hope they show something less shooty and race-y and step outside their comfort zone.
Microsoft will not announce anything major like a new console this Winter because Windows 8 is coming out and they need to focus all of there message to that.I don't know what Microsoft needs to do to get me back on their side, but their brand of exclusives, Kinect, and paying for XBL aren't helping. I hope they show something less shooty and race-y and step outside their comfort zone.
Xbla man
I'm still going with a 2013 release with a first details coming in the December 2012-March 2013 time frame.
That's alot of pulling out.
These days, it's more like middle school. :P
Yep. But to be fair they don't need CES or gamescon as much as the other guys do. They're going apple style now holding there own events. The only thing reason they are going to stay in E3 is because of the media coverage.Microsoft normally holds a lot of there own events anyway. It would make sense.
Sigh, another gaming site that completely ignores the Wii U and does not consider it in the same generation as PS4/nexbox.
They may call it Xbox Infinite like the old rumor suggested. Infinity sign looking like the number 8 of course.
It's diminishing returns going forward. Microsoft could go all out and blow the others away in terms of raw specs, but at a glance it won't look that much better than what Sony and Nintendo are doing. Most of the ways it would be a major improvement are hard to sell to a mass audience because they're not visible on the surface. By doing that, Microsoft would make less money with probably negligible effects on market share, and If Nintendo and Sony both play it safe they'll have a large enough combined install base to ensure that they both get most third party titles. It's easier and more profitable for Microsoft to do the same.
Why abandon the PS3 when it is finally profitable for a PS4 that would logically restart the same process? These can't be chincy upgrades. They have to be something significant and that means they'll likely cost Sony and MS a lot of money. If they're going to do that there needs to be a really obvious point to it and, as J.P. pointed out, they need to be able to sell consumers on it.
Why abandon the PS3 when it is finally profitable for a PS4 that would logically restart the same process? These can't be chincy upgrades. They have to be something significant and that means they'll likely cost Sony and MS a lot of money. If they're going to do that there needs to be a really obvious point to it and, as J.P. pointed out, they need to be able to sell consumers on it.
You could make that same argument for every single console ever made. Designing and selling a new console costs a lot of money and resources. If it wasn't worth it, then no company would have ever made a successor console. In most cases, there is enough software and hardware sold to make up for the costs of development.
The Genesis came out here in 1989 and wasn't replaced by the Saturn until 1995, so that's six years.
The NES went from 1983 to 1990 in Japan and 1985 to 1991 in North America.
The NES went from 1983 to 1990 in Japan and 1985 to 1991 in North America.
Actually the NES lasted until 1994 in North America, that's 9 years. (!)
Yeah, I wouldn't really say the NES had much life after the SNES came out. How many new NES games came out after the SNES? Zoda's Revenge and Wario's Woods are it as far as I know.
PS2 selling (far) better than the PS3 is why SONY took away backwards compatibility. Shame.
There's a good chance the PS4 wont be BC with the PS3. Either.
There's a good chance the PS4 wont be BC with the PS3. Either.
Especially considering Sony seems to be dropping the whole cell processor thing and switching to the same PPC architecture that Nintendo and MS are using. I don't know how feasible PS3 emulation would be because the Cell processor is pretty complicated from what I understand about it. Maybe the only way it could be done is if Sony included Cell chips in the PS4 like they did with emotion chips in the early PS3s? But this would add to manufacturing costs, and would probably get pulled in a further revision.
Do you have any proof that Sony is switching to PowerPC chips? Or is that all speculation?
Microsoft and Nintendo chose PowerPC because they are powerful and also resource efficient. Sony hasn't been making smart decisions lately, so I doubt they will follow what their competitors are doing.
Do you have any proof that Sony is switching to PowerPC chips? Or is that all speculation?
It was something I read in an article awhile back, but I'm not your caddy so I'm not going to bother looking it up. If you want to google it yourself, fine. If you don't and don't want to believe me that's fine too. I'm too lazy to care either way.Microsoft and Nintendo chose PowerPC because they are powerful and also resource efficient. Sony hasn't been making smart decisions lately, so I doubt they will follow what their competitors are doing.
Carrying on with the Cell processor might have been the smarter choice, not only for the sake of backwards compatibility with the PS3, but also because its supposed to be more powerful and better than traditional processors. Sony invested a lot of money in it so it seems wasteful to just kick it to the curb.
Oh and as far as proof for them abandoning it goes, how about the Vita? They could have went with a cell processor for that, but they didn't. Guess they no longer think its as awesome as Kutaragi made it out to be back in 2006. That along with UMD, MiniDisc, Memory Sticks, Betamax, and a long line of other dead end Sony crap are now in the dustbin of history.
It's not really accurate to say Sony helped create the DVD format. What happened was Sony and Philips had one standard, Toshiba, Time Warner, Matsushita Electric, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, Pioneer, Thomson, and JVC backed another. When the Toshiba led group approached IBM for help, IBM and a group of companies (including Apple, Microsoft, and Sun MicroSystems) wanted to avoid a VHS/Betamax type of war and threatened to boycott both formats unless the two groups came together to create one format.Too bad that didn't work for high definition disks.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-curious-case-of-the-durango-devkit-leak (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-curious-case-of-the-durango-devkit-leak)
You never know. We didn't know the surface was going to be announced wither.
And while Xbox may trumpet Windows phone I doubt it would overshadow windows 8. While most game blots would be over most tech sites would do one or two wrote ups on it and focus on windows.
I think NXE was better than the the original dashboard. Metro is the first one that is actually worse.
Microsoft is in the best shape going into next gen and have a way more compelling ecosystem
Move flopped because Sony quietly let it loose like a fart in the wind, and then nothing more was ever said about it or done with it. There was like one Kevin Butler commercial for a short time and that was it. Meanwhile, Microsoft has been pushing Kinect really hard, and that's why they've managed to carve out a market for it. Sony's problem with Move was they didn't try.
http://www.buildwindows.com/ (http://www.buildwindows.com/)
So the build website opened up today and it looks like the Xbox is going to be a big focus. Notice they don't say xbox 360 but just xbox. We also geta look at the new xbox logo along with the other logos.
It's hard to tell whether the image is real, but one of our own sources says this is a genuine test sample. Microsoft is working with the Durango Xbox Development Kit (XDK) and the user interface is the same as shown in the picture, according to one person familiar with Microsoft's Durango work. Microsoft's testing involves a focus on depth and movement data, something shown in the picture.
See Microsoft "didn't abandon the core" they just decided to expand their customer base and it worked and they are probably going to end this Gen at #2.
Also looks like EA already has next gen dev kits.
http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/08/16/ea-labels-president-ive-seen-ps4-and-xbox-720 (http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/08/16/ea-labels-president-ive-seen-ps4-and-xbox-720)
So that means Next Xbox will come with a touch screen?
Also looks like EA already has next gen dev kits.
http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/08/16/ea-labels-president-ive-seen-ps4-and-xbox-720 (http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/08/16/ea-labels-president-ive-seen-ps4-and-xbox-720)
That article said nothing about EA having dev kits. EA's president simply said that he had "seen" the next Xbox and PS4. That article was too vague, so I don't know how you came to the conclusion that dev kits are out in the wild.
See Microsoft "didn't abandon the core" they just decided to expand their customer base and it worked and they are probably going to end this Gen at #2.
So Microsoft pulled a Nintendo? Ironic.
See Microsoft "didn't abandon the core" they just decided to expand their customer base and it worked and they are probably going to end this Gen at #2.
So Microsoft pulled a Nintendo? Ironic.
If either of them is coming out next year, dev kits have to be out at this point, unless they don't plan on launching with any software.
It would benefit their bottom line to let it slip to 2014. Sony too, really.
Is it just me or is shingi_70 a big Microsoft fan?
Looking at the Kinect games, are they all casual bullshit because this is all the concept is capable of or is it just that that's what MS (and pretty much everybody) associates motion control with and thus it's self-fulfilling prophecy? If Nintendo launched the Wii with something like Metroid Prime 3 or Skyward Sword instead of Wii Sports would this all be different?
"TV you can play!" sounds like some slogan a marketer would have come up with in the 70's to sell home versions of Pong. Yeah, we've been "playing our TVs" for a long time already, Microsoft.
Out of all those games, the only ones that appeals to the traditional Xbox audience are Forza and Halo 4. Way to s.h.i.t all over your fanbase Microsoft.
Oh the irony. Nintendo is going after the "core" gamers with the Wii U, while Microsoft has turned a complete 180* and shifted focus towards casual games. Sony has a good balance between the two.
Because Wii Fit U and Sing are so very hardcore.
Microsoft has been keeping the core contained with xbla this year man.
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWCNOJK1DQs&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Trails Evolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tj8X7dQ2s&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Bloodforge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir6K66nu6WM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Fable Heroes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Op35vRN48&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Dust: an elysian tale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Op35vRN48&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Mark of Ninja
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtsVb9P9Ko&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Crimson Dragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wTg7LLrfII&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Haunt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAA1N7_Tzo0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Diabolical pitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8H-DgAZGpg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Spelunky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rprWoV38j2U&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Way to s.h.i.t all over your fanbase Microsoft.
Way to s.h.i.t all over your fanbase Microsoft.
Don't bypass the filter. Either turn it off in your forum profile or deal with the censored version.
Way to s.h.i.t all over your fanbase Microsoft.
Don't bypass the filter. Either turn it off in your forum profile or deal with the censored version.
I went to my profile and couldn't find a way to turn off the filter. There wasn't a link.
What makes fable heroes non hardcore.
Exclusive content is exclusive content. Microsoft does fund most of those games though.
Id consider most of sonys psn content a boon and its not done internally either.
Still find it ironic that people are calling games shovelware just because of the platform on a nintendo website.
Kinect Seasme Street TV - September 16th
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/Kinect_Sesame_Street_TV_cover.png)
How many of these Kinect games are being developed by Rare? They could be making Killer Instinct 3 but Microsoft would rather them make kiddie games.
That will never happen. Xbox is very much still considered to the hardest of the hardcore.
How many of these Kinect games are being developed by Rare? They could be making Killer Instinct 3 but Microsoft would rather them make kiddie games.
Like I said rare is working on two games for next gen and those are the ones we know of.
Kinect Sports is in no way a AAA title.
Does Chozo Ghost want the Next Xbox to fail?
Does Chozo Ghost want the Next Xbox to fail?
If you have to pay to play it online, sure.
AAA is a generic buzz word, i think we had this discussion in another thread recently.
Does Chozo Ghost want the Next Xbox to fail?
If you have to pay to play it online, sure.
I wouldn't be suprised if sony decided to charge for online next gen.
Sony's not in a position to charge for online. Their service isn't good enough or popular enough to ever be viable that way. Microsoft only gets away with it because they have the dominant console with the most popular online service. It's way more likely that Microsoft stops charging than Sony starting to.
I think Sony still has time to get its **** together and make a product worth paying for. It's just gonna be damn neat impossible to convince people that there won't be outages for weeks on end.
Sony's not in a position to charge for online. Their service isn't good enough or popular enough to ever be viable that way. Microsoft only gets away with it because they have the dominant console with the most popular online service. It's way more likely that Microsoft stops charging than Sony starting to.
Microsoft has been charging for Xbox Live ever since the service started in 2002. It had/has nothing to do with them having the most popular game system, because at that time, the PS2 was dominant.
If Sony charged for online they would roll Playstation Plus into it, so it would be worth paying for because you would also get the stuff that comes with plus. They could also do what Microsoft does and create a stripped down basic membership thing which excludes online play and pretty much everything else, except letting you chat with people.
Why would Sony remove online gaming from their free PSN service?
Sony's not in a position to charge for online. Their service isn't good enough or popular enough to ever be viable that way. Microsoft only gets away with it because they have the dominant console with the most popular online service. It's way more likely that Microsoft stops charging than Sony starting to.
Microsoft has been charging for Xbox Live ever since the service started in 2002. It had/has nothing to do with them having the most popular game system, because at that time, the PS2 was dominant.
I think Sony still has time to get its **** together and make a product worth paying for. It's just gonna be damn neat impossible to convince people that there won't be outages for weeks on end.
What makes you think the PS3 isn't worth paying for? It's the same price as an Xbox 360, it comes with a hard drive as standard, it has a majority of the same 3rd-party games, it has more 1st-party games. The only thing lacking is PSN, but that's quickly catching up to Xbox Live.
As for the ESPN service, I am pretty sure that you don't need an Xbox for it (http://www.stream2watch.me/live-tv/espn-live-stream). That took me 5 seconds to find.
It's a demonstration of how much easier the process should be instead of the hoops you have to jump through to watch it legitimately. Charge for it if you want, put ads in it, but insisting on being both the delivery system and the content provider in a time where the delivery is a near perfect commodity, being both is absurd. It only serves to drive anticompetitive behaviour causing massive collateral damage to civil liberties in the US and worldwide.
As for the ESPN service, I am pretty sure that you don't need an Xbox for it (http://www.stream2watch.me/live-tv/espn-live-stream). That took me 5 seconds to find.
Not all people are OK with watching things illegally.
Xbox Live Gold is worth $50 a year because of how good it is, though if you don't play online then I can see why you wouldn't subscribe.
It's a demonstration of how much easier the process should be instead of the hoops you have to jump through to watch it legitimately. Charge for it if you want, put ads in it, but insisting on being both the delivery system and the content provider in a time where the delivery is a near perfect commodity, being both is absurd. It only serves to drive anticompetitive behaviour causing massive collateral damage to civil liberties in the US and worldwide.
As for the ESPN service, I am pretty sure that you don't need an Xbox for it (http://www.stream2watch.me/live-tv/espn-live-stream). That took me 5 seconds to find.
Not all people are OK with watching things illegally.
Xbox Live Gold is worth $50 a year because of how good it is, though if you don't play online then I can see why you wouldn't subscribe.
As for the $50 a year, Steam and every other service out there shows it is the exception, not the rule.
If so, please go and read about what your rights actually are and you will see you are 100% wrong.
hahahaha Chozo is BrickCalling IBM a faded empire (if that's what you meant) makes me laugh.
bottom line, Microsoft is a fading empire, like IBM in the late 90s-early 2000s.
Apple will eventually lose the tablet market for the same reason that they've lost the desktop computer market. They are way too overpriced. People didn't want to pay $3,000 for Mac computers when they could get an equivalent PC for half the price, and the exact same thing goes for tablets. People as a whole aren't willing to pay $600 for a tablet when they can get an Android or Windows 8 one for a half or even a third that price. This is why Apple losing the market is inevitable.
The only reason they have the market right now is because they were the fastest on the draw, but remember they were the fastest on the draw with desktop computers back in the 80s too. Grabbing a hold of a market is easy when you're the first, but holding onto that market is a whole other story. You can't do that when you charge double or triple as much as your competitors.
Apple will eventually lose the tablet market for the same reason that they've lost the desktop computer market. They are way too overpriced. People didn't want to pay $3,000 for Mac computers when they could get an equivalent PC for half the price, and the exact same thing goes for tablets. People as a whole aren't willing to pay $600 for a tablet when they can get an Android or Windows 8 one for a half or even a third that price. This is why Apple losing the market is inevitable.
The only reason they have the market right now is because they were the fastest on the draw, but remember they were the fastest on the draw with desktop computers back in the 80s too. Grabbing a hold of a market is easy when you're the first, but holding onto that market is a whole other story. You can't do that when you charge double or triple as much as your competitors.
But then what will become of the iPhone? Can Google and Microsoft really topple Apple from the smartphone market?
BlackBerry is still used by a lot of businesses, which may count for a chunk of its sales. Symbian is the mobile OS from Nokia. iOS had 68.1%, iOS had 16.9%, BlackBerry had 4.8%, Symbian had 4.4%, Windows Phone had 3.5%, Linux had 2.1%. Windows Phone is increasing (it jumped 115% from 2011), but it is still far behind.
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23638712 (http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23638712)
As far as global popularity goes, iOS > Android > Blackberry = Windows Phone (they are about tied).
As far as global popularity goes, iOS > Android > Blackberry = Windows Phone (they are about tied).
Actually, no. The numbers I mentioned above are for worldwide sales (for the record, Linux is used for stuff like Samsung's Bada OS). Also, besides the fact that you think stuff sold in Europe doesn't count, where did you come up with the idea that Symbian isn't available outside of Europe? It most certainly IS. In fact, as recently as 2009 it had 42% of the global marketshare. In 2011, Symbian had 1.4% of the US market. It is available worldwide.
Even if Microsoft markets the hell out of Windows Phone 8, it will still need the apps if it will get any real marketshare.
The most popular smartphones (Samsung and HTC) use Android
The most popular smartphones (Samsung and HTC) use Android
The most popular smartphone is the iPhone. Android as a platform has greater market share, but that's spread across dozens of phones.
If Symbian really was that popular, then you'd see more apps and games on it, and not Windows Phone and Android.
If Symbian really was that popular, then you'd see more apps and games on it, and not Windows Phone and Android.
Again, I said it WAS popular. This is not disputed, it had 42% of the market in 2009. I am sure app support has something to do with it, and why Windows Phone will never threaten iOS and Android unless it gets improved app support.
AGAIN, where did I claim Symbian is relevant now? All I said was that more Symbian phones were sold in Q2 (April-June) than Windows Phone. And Windows Phone getting most of the same apps as iOS and Android? iOS has over 700K apps, Windows Phone just crossed 100K. In a poll of mobile app developers, 37% said they were supporting Windows Phone (vs. 76% for Android and 66% for iOS). Can Windows Phone become a success? Sure, we have seen how in just 3 years Symbian went from 42% to about 4% while Android came onto the scene with a whopping 68%. Windows Phone is growing, but just very slowly and the most popular apps aren't on it or tend to come later than the iOS/Android versions (for example, the most popular mobile game ever is Angry Birds Space, which is on iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. But not Windows Phone).
It's declining (can't be considered dead, unless you want to say Windows Phone is too since BlackBerry is still outselling it), I don't see it improving anytime soon. RIM would have to mae drastic changes to have a chance.
AGAIN, where did I claim Symbian is relevant now? All I said was that more Symbian phones were sold in Q2 (April-June) than Windows Phone. And Windows Phone getting most of the same apps as iOS and Android? iOS has over 700K apps, Windows Phone just crossed 100K. In a poll of mobile app developers, 37% said they were supporting Windows Phone (vs. 76% for Android and 66% for iOS). Can Windows Phone become a success? Sure, we have seen how in just 3 years Symbian went from 42% to about 4% while Android came onto the scene with a whopping 68%. Windows Phone is growing, but just very slowly and the most popular apps aren't on it or tend to come later than the iOS/Android versions (for example, the most popular mobile game ever is Angry Birds Space, which is on iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. But not Windows Phone).You know I don't understand that since XNA could be used and that can be used by Window and Windows Phone. Heck even Xbox.
AGAIN, where did I claim Symbian is relevant now? All I said was that more Symbian phones were sold in Q2 (April-June) than Windows Phone. And Windows Phone getting most of the same apps as iOS and Android? iOS has over 700K apps, Windows Phone just crossed 100K. In a poll of mobile app developers, 37% said they were supporting Windows Phone (vs. 76% for Android and 66% for iOS). Can Windows Phone become a success? Sure, we have seen how in just 3 years Symbian went from 42% to about 4% while Android came onto the scene with a whopping 68%. Windows Phone is growing, but just very slowly and the most popular apps aren't on it or tend to come later than the iOS/Android versions (for example, the most popular mobile game ever is Angry Birds Space, which is on iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. But not Windows Phone).You know I don't understand that since XNA could be used and that can be used by Window and Windows Phone. Heck even Xbox.
I've used Metro on the Xbox 360 and it's a lot better than what the PS3 has.
Linux? They make smartphone OS's now?
I have to agree. XMB is Functional and works well. Is it pretty not really but its functional and thats what a menu system should be. Metro on Phone 7 Functional and perfectly suited. On the 360 from what I've seen not so much. On the PC well thats sort of mix. My main machine was Win 8 for a month or so, that machine still is, and I can say that its functional with a keyboard and mouse. You still have you desktop so the Metro stuff became an uber Start menu. Which it does a good job with.I've used Metro on the Xbox 360 and it's a lot better than what the PS3 has.
I could not disagree more. Metro may look nice, but it's awful to navigate with a gamepad. Conversely, the XMB may not be pretty, but it's very easy and quick to get around.
Inside the crazy-thin 8.7mm brushed aluminum chassis is a huge 4.8” HD Super AMOLED display made from Corning Gorilla Glass 2 (read: tough to break, but still light)and a rundown of killer specs: 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of onboard RAM, and an 8MP autofocus rear camera and 1.9MP front-facing camera. You’ll have the choice of two storage capacities – 16GB or 32GB – and both models have a MicroSD slot for expanded storage. Backing all of this up is a massive 2300mAh battery to keep you rocking all day.
The difference between the two tablets lies in the processors inside: the Smart PC runs an Intel Atom chip, while the Smart PC Pro uses the more powerful Intel Core i5 processor. The Pro also has more storage (256GB SSD vs. 128GB flash memory), more RAM (4GB vs. 2GB), and a USB 3.0 port in place of the Smart PC's lone USB 2.0 port. The Smart PC is slightly thinner than the Pro — 9.9mm vs. 11.9mm — and it gets 13.5 hours of battery life compared to the Pro's eight hours. Both tablets come with microHDMI ports and miniSD card slots, and the keyboard docks include two extra USB 2.0 ports.
The Ativ Smart PC and Smart PC Pro run Windows 8 and support Samsung's S Pen input device with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. They come preloaded with Samsung's S Note app that works with the S Pen and support 10-finger multitouch on their HD displays.
the product is officially named the Samsung ATIV Tab. In terms of specs, we've learned that the device will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM, with a mid-size 8,200mAh battery keeping everything going. Its 10.1-inch display will offer a resolution of 1366 x 768, and users will have a choice of either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage.
Alongside the standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, the ATIV Tab will provide connectivity through a USB 2.0 port and NFC. The unit as a whole weights in at 570g and measures 0.35 inches at its thickest point.
Asus has revealed today that it has renamed its Asus Tablet 600 and Asus Tablet 810 models into a new Vivo Tab range. The Tablet 600, which runs Windows RT and includes an Nvidia Tegra 3 CPU, will now be known as the Vivo Tab RT without any specification changes from what was announced at Computex earlier this year.
The Tablet 810, which includes an Intel Atom processor and runs Windows 8, will now be known as the Vivo Tab. Again, Asus hasn't tweaked the specifications here. Both tablets will include a Transformer-like dock that features keyboard, trackpad, a second battery, and room for two USB ports. Asus isn't revealing pricing or availability for either models
Asus has expanded its Zenbook laptop line in more ways than one with the announcement of the U500VZ, a large model with a 15-inch screen and full numpad. Featuring an Intel Core i7 processor as standard, the U500VZ offers a number of customization options, with users able to choose between dual SSDs with a capacity of up to 512GB or a combination of a 128GB SSD and a 500GB HDD
It's got a pressure-sensitive digitizer with a choice of two pen tips for writing feel, an 11.6-inch 1920 x 1080 "OptiContrast" panel, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB or 256GB SSD stuffed into a shell that measures 17.85mm when collapsed and weighs 1.3 kilograms (about 2.9 pounds) — a little heavier than the Surface for Windows 8 Pro's 1.99 pounds.
Speaking of Windows 8 Pro, the Duo 11 is a Pro device, carrying an Intel Core i7, i5, or i3 processor depending on configuration — there's no Windows RT here and no sign that Sony is planning an RT variant (yet). Look for it to launch in late October, just in time to capture the first wave of Windows 8 retail launches.
You guys are overreacting with the "ads everywhere" rants. I've seen a few TINY ads in the lower right corner of the menu, the rest is space for game promotions.I just have to laugh at this. Your "game promotions" are another term for ad. It is advertising the game, same way you advertise another product.
So I should be complaining that microsoft is showing me content avaible within the device.If you want. That's your choice. I was just stating a fact.
Smh
I understand. But I don't see the problem with it. There are non xbox related ads I hate, but things like telling me what new game is out or what new movie is out is a plus.Never said it was a problem. Just stating that they are ads. And ad does not have to be a bad thing, especially when it's in the right situation. Without ads, most people would never know about new products. If Coke stopped advertising, do you think it'd stay one of the top two soda products? I enjoy seeing game commercials, but they are ads as well.
I just find it odd that people complain about that but then complain about how console makers don't market games enough.
Yeah, I'm considering the game and content promotion as ads. For games it's not really an issue, but I get annoyed by all the cross promotion of media stuff that I am not remotely interested in. Really, I want the ability to turn that off without keeping the system offline. I paid for the console, and its the absolute last way I'd ever search for information, so I resent having ads for Battleship avatar hats and ESPN in my face. If Xbox Live was free, on the other hand, there wouldn't really be any room for complaint.
*Cough*Steam*Cough*.I chose to read this as Oohboy would prefer Clippit in the XBox 720.
Steam pretty much destroys the whole "Ads everywhere" idea. There is a nice Ad that pops up with specials and new releases, but you can turn it off. The only time you see an actual Ad besides that is when you head into the store, where the bloody Ads belong, advertising Games.
The more they push rubbish like Xbox Live and it's PC counterpart, the further I run. Ads in an operating system is like having a Clippy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_Assistant), but even more asinine. It doesn't belong. Normally Ads that get built into an operating system is considered malware or bloatware. I don't see why it is anymore acceptable on a console.
What the hell is this thread about?It was about rumors for the next Xbox system.
I didn't mean literally.Figuratively it's shingi's love affair with Microsoft.
Shingi loves Micrsoft like Kairon loves crying.
Is there any worry that Microsoft may be exhibiting something similar to Sony's too-many-departments-in-one-product effect? I mean, I think one of the main criticisms leveled at Sony's hardware is that they seem to be developed to serve too many masters, and too many consumer uses. With some of the rumblings about major swaths of X720 functionality being focused on non-gaming stuff, and worries about Windows 8 really affecting the 720's setup, does anyone think the 720 might start to resemble the PS3 or Vita in the sense that a lot of it is built for reasons OTHER than gaming?Microsoft wants the Xbox to be the all-in-one entertainment device that dominates the living room. Games are still the forefront, but the Xbox has been adapted for other uses like streaming (Netflix and other video services), music (Zune/Xbox Music), internet (Bing and the upcoming Internet Explorer app), etc. The Xbox brand will be Microsoft's core entertainment device from now on.
...Really? I barely play games on mine and have been using it as my primary player of video entertainment for over 4 years now.
though the non-gaming features of the PS3 are still pretty lacking.
...Really? I barely play games on mine and have been using it as my primary player of video entertainment for over 4 years now.
though the non-gaming features of the PS3 are still pretty lacking.
...Really? I barely play games on mine and have been using it as my primary player of video entertainment for over 4 years now.
though the non-gaming features of the PS3 are still pretty lacking.
Same. I have my entire movie, music, and picture library on my laptop and stream it to my PS3 through the PS3 Media Server. It works beautifully. I use it for Netflix Instant Streaming and DVD playback too. I don't know what Tendoboy is talking about.
shingi, PS3 has had NFL Sunday Ticket before.
tendoboy, Crackle is a digital streaming service that uses flash video. They stream (for free) through services like YouTube, Hulu, AOL, and mobile devices. Sony bought it in 2007 (when it was called Grouping) and renamed it Crackle. Sony added Crackle to the PS3 in March 2011 (guess Shingi didn't know) and Microsoft added it to the Xbox 360 in November 2011.
tendo, it helps both Sony and Microsoft to have more people watching it. Besides, Blu-ray Disc uses VC-1, which is a video format created by Microsoft.
Lack of research on my part regarding crackle. Still great service if you can take raw anime.
Also it looks like the dashboard beta has really started. I was already in and had Intenet exploer the new dashboar, and the new music and video apps. But today I got a beta tab saying the beta had started and that this would be the area to look for preview games and apps.
Looked in it and saw the beta for microsofts first free to play moba style game Happy Wars which shoukd be launching sometime next month.
Hope they suprise us with a Halo 4 beta.
I'm 20 I don't remember any of that stuff.
And I'm not sure how that is reflective on a good product today.
Discover the fantastic world of 4 Elements in this Windows 8-exclusive Special Edition of the acclaimed Puzzle and Hidden Object game. Four fairies representing the elements of earth, air, fire, and water have been deprived of their magic power. Be the hero of the kingdom and restore their magic! Lose yourself in beautiful backgrounds, music and amazing graphics. Explore a world of color, animation, and mystical delight. Discover secrets, solve intriguing puzzles, and decipher the book of magic to unlock powerful spells. 4 Elements™ II: Special Edition is an exciting “match three” game packed with fascinating puzzles and hidden object challenges. This Special Edition includes 48 exclusive levels for Windows 8, 14 of which you can play for free in the trial version! This edition also includes six custom Windows 8 wallpapers and the complete original soundtrack in MP3 format. Compare your progress with friends via leaderboards or Achievement’s earned! Look for these other great Microsoft Studios titles in the Windows 8 store: Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Microsoft Mahjong, and Wordament.
>64 unique match-3 levels + 48 levels EXCLUSIVE to Windows 8
>4 adorable fairies of the elements to set free
>16 magic cards to collect
>4 exciting quests to complete
>Fascinating story, gorgeous art and backgrounds
>Trial version includes 12 Story Mode levels and 2 Bonus Challenge levels for free
>Xbox LIVE Gamerscore over 20 Achievements
>Track friends’ progress with Leaderboards
>Hours and hours of gameplay
>6 exclusive Windows 8 wallpapers and complete game soundtrack in MP3 format
>Use touch or mouse/keyboard controls
>Multiple modes: casual and timed play
>Hidden Object and Find the Difference puzzles
Adera is an episodic adventure game in which you play as the heroine, Jane Sinclaire. Take on the challenge by solving puzzles, playing minigames, collecting items, and using them to get past obstacles. Uncover the mystery of Adera and explore a beautiful lost world.
Jane is a world traveler who has been on many dangerous adventures, but she has never experienced anything like this. In this first episode, Jane finds herself in the Atacama Desert searching for her long-missing grandfather, with only a coded message and a strange stone orb to guide her.
When the Gunstringer rose from the dead to hunt down the treacherous members of his old gang, it was on the condition that he must return to the underworld once his quest for vengeance was complete. Being a man of his word, the Gunstringer kept his promise and returned. Not long afterwards, The Gunstringer started to realize how much the world needed a man like him and how it was up to him to help rid the world of the vile scum that threatened the peace. Now, striking another deal with the devil, The Gunstringer travels back to the land of the living. The deal requires trading the souls of five notorious villains in exchange for his own soul and freedom. You must help The Gunstringer race across treacherous terrains to hunt down and banish the Villainous Five to the underworld! Collect as many Gold Coins as you can along the way and use them to buy new customization options, weapons and power-ups to help you in your spirited quest.
>Free to Play with in-app purchases and downloadable content.
>Two playable game modes including a Story Mode with finite levels and a Challenge Mode featuring endless levels.
> Xbox Live support including Achievements, Friends and Leaderboards.
>Asynchronous Multiplayer Challenges.
>Seamless multi-device profile access and progression.
The legendary arcade racer and Xbox 360 hit Hydro Thunder Hurricane is now available for Windows 8 tablets! Featuring rocket-powered speedboats blasting across amazing dynamic wa-ter, gorgeous visuals, and interactive environments packed with shortcuts and surprises, this is the adrenaline-drenched sequel fans have been waiting for. Pit your skills against 15 opponents in Single Player Races and Championships, hone your speedboat skills in the new Ring Master and Gauntlet modes, and compare your times with your Friends on LIVE Leaderboards.
>Tons of original content, including 11 classic and brand-new boats and 11 watery race tracks packed with interactive triggers, insane jumps, and secret shortcuts waiting to be discovered.
>Variety of single player game modes, including Race, Championship seasons, Ring Master, and the explosive new Gauntlet.
>Dynamic water racing. Dodge avalanches that spawn massive tsunamis, jump across other boats’ wakes – in Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the race track itself is constantly in motion!
http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Screenshot01_TsunamiBowl.jpg
The critically acclaimed Xbox LIVE® Arcade hit, Pinball FX2, will be available for Windows 8 BETA from Zen Studios, the definitive leader in arcade-style pinball videogames. Featuring the most advanced balls physics in videogame pinball, Pinball FX2 is the premiere pinball videogame experience. The BETA version contains one table and will be updated with all the features and content our fans come to expect when the full version releases.
>With its robust physics engine, Pinball FX 2 will make you think you’re back at your local arcade.
>Intuitive tablet controls delivers a whole new experience for Pinball FX fans.
>View your table from various camera angles, allowing you some new perspectives in your pursuit to become a pinball wizard!
>More of these beautiful, immersive, and innovative tables will become available at the launch of the full version.
>Additional announcements coming soon.
The ultimate edition of the acclaimed Reckless Racing top-down racer series is here.
Now bigger and dirtier than ever! Race with a huge selection of road and dirt tracks, single and multi-player events, modded cars and trucks, and challenging game modes. Whether it’s a muscle car in the dirt, a monster truck in gravel, or even a dune buggy in the snow, if you can build it – you can race it. Tweak, upgrade and customize your car collection as you level up in your racing career. Earn your place on the Xbox Leaderboards in both Career and Arcade modes. Challenge your friends in a variety of multiplayer modes including, 1 on 1 rally racing or fastest lap. Track your multi-player invites, and results on the go right on your Live Tile. Buckle your seatbelts and prepare to get Reckless!
>Beautifully rendered hand-drawn environments.
>Physics driven handling – Drift like a champ!
>Play the Free Trial featuring 1 car, 3 tracks and car upgrades
>Career mode, Arcade mode, Single Event mode
>Challenge your friends via Xbox Multiplayer
> See how you stack up against the competition with Xbox Leaderboards
>Earn gamerscore with Xbox Achievements >24 customizable cars and trucks
>20 Career mode cups
>50 Arcade challenges
>150 individual and customizable events
>Touch, mouse/keyboard and USB Xbox controller support.
Rocket Riot™ 3D packs hundreds of zany characters, aggressive minibosses, tons of tough bosses and crazy visual effects into one rocket package! Obliterate your friends with multiplayer challenges, or achieve a personal best in the single player campaign. In this awesomely 8-bit styled game, blast your way through the environment or hide behind it, battling the strangest enemies you will ever encounter.
>Engage in over 100 single-player missions, set in many different, wild worlds!
>Unlock over 200 characters! Zombies vs. robots! Rocket-propelled bananas! Pirates vs. moose!
>Multiplayer challenges let you compete for ultimate Rocket Riot world domination!
>Test your strength and aim against tons of bosses… and mini bosses too.
>24 all-new Windows 8 exclusive levels.
>Classic Rocket Riot™ levels with awesome new stories, levesl, characters and visual effects.
The classic tile matching game re-imagined as a spinning block of 3D puzzling! Race against the clock by matching symbols on all sides of the cube to drill down to the center. Just when you think you’re stuck, you can rotate the cube to reveal more matches to clear! The faster you go, the more points you get! With 3 game modes, daily challenges, and the ability to resume play to and from your Windows Phone, Taptiles on Windows 8 will continually challenge you’re puzzling skills. >In Dash Mode, play as long as you can with puzzles coming in one after another. >Origin Mode will test your quick decision making skills, as you need to solve the puzzle before time runs out. >And if you need to unwind, Relaxation Mode gives you the chance to solve puzzles with all the time in the world.
>Play Daily Challenges to test your skill
>The Play, Pause, Resume functionality on Windows 8 and Windows Phone platforms allows you to take some of your favorite puzzles across your devices.
>Compare you scores with your friends via Xbox LIVE Leaderboards.
The hit Windows Phone game is now on Windows 8! Wordament is a unique kind of word game—a word tournament—where you are competing with the whole internet to be the best word searcher in every game. Every player is competing on the same board, in real-time, to get the highest score. Wordament features unique, highly playable games. Every board is guaranteed to have over 100 possible words, and every tile is playable. Wordament’s dictionary is tuned to help you find the most common words you missed. Also with themed games, like Digrams, Wordament introduces a simple, but fun secondary goal of using a two-letter tile in as many words as possible.
>An extremely popular and addictive word-finding game where a player must score points by creating words from a 4×4 board of letters.
>Continually compete in worldwide tournaments where everyone is utilizing the same board.
>Cross screen gameplay allows you to not only compete against other Windows 8 users, but also those playing Wordament on their Windows Phone.
>Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer! Frenemies is an all new way to keep track of your competition.
>Real-time stats let players see how many average seconds it takes to find words and how many average points they are finding per word.
Wait, so, I haven't been keeping up with this story but... XBox for Windows 8 is the new Games For Windows Live?
the 720 is farther along than the PS4.
the 720 is farther along than the PS4.
This is what I figured because we are hearing so much more about the next Xbox in the way of rumors than the PS4. With the PS4 there's hardly anything being mentioned, except that so and so developer is starting development of a game for it.
But if this is the case, while Sony might be 2 years off with their system, when it finally does come out it will probably be a beast in comparison to the Wii U and Xbox420. They will have a lot of catching up to do with market share, but they will have the edge in specs.
...You must be using a different PS3 from an alternate Reality.
Next gen is going to be about services as well as Eco system. Sony sucks at both so I expect things to get worse from here.
I agree with you and while its true I find it odd how many gamers have a problem with consoles becoming anything but a machine to play games. Microsoft and Nintendo both had a big focus on casuel gaming and services while Sony only focused on games. While the gaming media hitched and moaned and were giving Sony all the prais, the actual real press only talked about Wii U and xbox.
Next gen is going to be about services as well as Eco system. Sony sucks at both so I expect things to get worse from here.
As one of the first Windows Phone 8 devices (http://www.engadget.com/tag/windows+phone+8/) to be officially announced, this device augments Espoo's line with a larger, curved 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 2,000mAh battery, NFC, integrated wireless charging and an 8-megapixel rear PureView camera capable of 1080p video. The display packs WXGA (1,280 x 768) resolution, is 25 percent brighter than the next best panel on the market and it's the fastest LCD that Nokia has ever shipped on a smartphone. What's more, the screen also boasts what Nokia calls "Super Sensitive Touch," which promises to let you use it even when wearing gloves or mitts.
As you can tell from its humpless back, this PureView (http://www.engadget.com/tag/PureView/) is not that of the 41-megapixel variety -- it's merely all about the branding, as the moniker will now ring synonymous with "high-end cameras." Despite that fall from 808 grace, Nokia's Head of Imaging Damian Dinning has assured detractors the magic is in what's done with the optics and pixels (http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/03/lumia-920-8-megapixel-pureview/) and not sheer gargantuan sampling size. To wit, the 920 employs a "floating lens," which, in layman's terms, translates into hardware image stabilization and also packs impressive low-light capabilities -- an area the company's seems squarely focused upon.
In a true return to form, the 920 also hearkens back to the Lumia that started it all (http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/nokia-lumia-800-review/), opting for the "sinuous tapering" that debuted on the 800 with glass edges that blend gently into the polycarbonate hull. Unfortunately, not all of that design language has made the transition, given its chassis now appears glossier and more polished, distancing itself from that premium matte finish. Still, as looks go, the handset's keeping to its 900 origins, appearing nigh indistinct from its predecessor save for that attention-grabbing mellow yellow hue.And as a bonus, Nokia's imbued the device with integrated wireless charging, based on the Qi standard, which corroborates those leaks we saw just last week. The Lumia 920 will arrive in pentaband LTE and HSPA+ variants and both are expected to ship "in selected markets" later this year.
No matter your budget, Nokia's got a Windows Phone 8 (http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/29/windows-phone-8-may-land-october-29th-just-days-after-its-deskt/) handset for you. While the Lumia 920 (http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/nokia-lumia-920-official-dual-core-1-5ghz-snapdragon-s4-cpu-wi/)dominated today's press conference (http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/live-from-nokia-and-microsofts-windows-phone-event/), the company's more modest Lumia 820 is planning to sneak in and capture the mid-range. The handset is packing the same 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4 internals you'll find in the 920, along with 1GB RAM and a 4.3-inch display.
While the handset isn't unattractive, the design language of the 800 (http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/nokia-lumia-800-review/) (and N9 (http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/22/nokia-n9-review/)) that captured our hearts has been dumped in favor of something more symmetrical. The glass of its 800 x 480 ClearBlack OLED screen is flat rather than convex (poached by the 920) and the body's finish is a little more shinier than the previous generation of Nokia's polycarbonate.
Photography fans looking to get their hands on that PureView goodness (http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/03/lumia-920-8-megapixel-pureview/) will be disappointed to see that it's also been reserved for the flagship (in some form). Instead, this unit comes with the more familiar 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss optics we've seen before, but at least there's a front-facing VGA lens for video conferencing.
While the unit only has 8GB of on-board storage, it's packing microSD support (up to 32GB, as per usual) and you'll also get an additional 7GB of storage on Microsoft's cloud service, Skydrive. The company's including a series of protective cases in a variety of colors, including a set that add bundle QI-compatible wireless charging to the handset -- at the cost of adding an extra 1mm to the handset's overall thickness.
It'll arrive in Red, Yellow, Grey, Cyan, Purple, White and Black, with separate LTE and HSPA+ variants shipping "later in the year," but Elop and co (http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/05/stephen-elop-interview/) declined to give a specific announcement on availability or price today.
So the big buzz of the day's just passed, but now's the time to focus on the lesser details of Nokia's big Windows Phone 8 / Lumia presser: the accessories. Revealed during the presentation today, the Lumia 920 and 820 both incorporate Qi tech for wireless charging (albeit, optionally in the latter's case), a perk that will let users choose from the company's own stylish, soap-bar like dock, Fatboy pillow or an NFC-equipped charging stand. All three function exactly as advertised -- put the phone on top and it starts charging right away. The basic dock is the same sort of plastic that now graces the outside of the Lumia line. It's simple, slightly shiny and comes in a variety of hues. The Pillow is broad, flat and not exactly comfortable. The charging element sits right in the middle and is surrounded by beanbag-like cushions on all sides save for the top -- we wouldn't advise putting it under your head to go to sleep.(http://www.winsupersite.com/content/content/144180/dock.jpg;pv2318c35428e8077a)
The most interesting peripheral is definitely the charging stand. It's the least cumbersome of the charging options and it's got a neat trick up its sleeve. An NFC chip embedded in its base can be used to tell a Lumia to launch an app when you place it in the dock. So, you could easily put a 920 down, keep it charged and automatically open your music player or alarm clock. You can see the NFC trick in action in a video after the break.
There were some other OS features shown as well but i'm done for the night. This along with the Microsoft service is probably as close as we will get to seeing to seeing Microsoft's answer to the Vita and 3DS.[size=1px !important]6[/size][size=1px !important]in[/size]Share As you might have heard this morning, Nokia's new Windows Phone 8 devices (http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3293728/nokia-lumia-920-lumia-820-windows-phone-8-announcements) have a rather intriguing new feature built right into their screens: you can use the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 with gloves on (http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3293835/nokia-lumia-920s-capacitive-display-works-with-gloves), or even with your fingernails. The "Super Sensitive Touch" technology isn't wholly a Nokia design, though — it's a feature that Synaptics (http://www.theverge.com/tag/synaptics) has added to its ClearPad Series 3 touchscreen digitizer, which means it's quite likely to appear on other devices in the future. Presently, capacitive image touchscreens "see" your fingers by bouncing a signal off them, then measuring disturbances in the waveform. Here, the company basically increases the sensitivity of its sensors on the fly to detect gestures even if they're merely in the same vicinity. Synaptics actually showed off the feature back at the Mobile World Congress show in February of last year, detecting touches through a stack of business cards (http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/14/synaptics-clearpad-3250-capacitive-touchscreen-hands-on-video/), but we're pretty sure the new Lumia smartphones are the first to actually use the idea. As much as we like the notion, though, we've got a few reservations. Our handsets are rather sensitive already, if last night's pocket dials were any indication.
Speaking of Synaptics, the company is also working on a number of other interesting things as of late, like thinner, touch-detecting laptop keyboards, force-sensitive mousepads (http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/20/3255845/synaptics-forcepad-thintouch), and touchscreen panels for laptops with up to 17-inch screens.
Update: Synaptics says it has distinct profiles for glove, skin and fingernail applications, and switches between them as necessary, so perhaps pocket dialing won't be such an issue.
We are excited to announce that Crimson Dragon: Side Story is launching on Windows Phone September 12th! The Crimson Dragon franchise is important to us and we’re doubling down on the series. Enjoy Crimson Dragon: Side Story and stay tuned for more updates coming soonGame Features:• In Story Mode, take control of Sana and her dragon White Reaver as they are sent on a special mission revolving around the mysterious pandemic called “Crimonscale Disease”.(http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CrimsonDragon_SS_04.png)
• In Mission Mode, the player faces a variety of situations such as high difficulty stages and continuous boss battles, competing for high scores while collecting powerful skills.
• Over 170 Skills are available to be unlocked in-game, and the unlocked skills can be “awakened” in the dragon by using “jewels”. The more powerful the skill, the more jewels are required for awakening.
• Jewels are available not only through the gameplay, but also can be obtained using a location service based on calculation of the distance a player traveled per day in the real world. Additional jewels are also available for purchase. Enter a world dominated by dragons
I think Microsoft is going to have some serious pricing advantages. I think they are going to have a not only an on-contract model like they do with the current xbox at multiple retailers, but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.Not sure what you are getting at here. Under Kytim's scenario MS doesn't have a price advantage. In your scenario the only thing "Cheaper" is the take home sticker price, but anyone with half a brain knows at the end of the day such deals are more expensive. Also the cable offerings is very US centric. It means nothing outside of North America.
(http://i.nokia.com/image/view/-/1789904/medRes/2/-/920-product-hero-1-jpg.jpg)
(http://i.nokia.com/image/view/-/1789812/medRes/3/-/820-product-hero-2-png.png)
(http://regmedia.co.uk/2012/06/19/microsoft_surface.jpg)
Are you trying to sell us tablets and phones? Other than your first sentence, 95% of your post has nothing to do with the next Xbox and is only related because MS is involved somewhere by branding everything "Xbox".QuoteI think Microsoft is going to have some serious pricing advantages. I think they are going to have a not only an on-contract model like they do with the current xbox at multiple retailers, but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.Not sure what you are getting at here. Under Kytim's scenario MS doesn't have a price advantage. In your scenario the only thing "Cheaper" is the take home sticker price, but anyone with half a brain knows at the end of the day such deals are more expensive. Also the cable offerings is very US centric. It means nothing outside of North America.
Are you trying to sell us tablets and phones? Other than your first sentence, 95% of your post has nothing to do with the next Xbox and is only related because MS is involved somewhere by branding everything "Xbox".QuoteI think Microsoft is going to have some serious pricing advantages. I think they are going to have a not only an on-contract model like they do with the current xbox at multiple retailers, but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.Not sure what you are getting at here. Under Kytim's scenario MS doesn't have a price advantage. In your scenario the only thing "Cheaper" is the take home sticker price, but anyone with half a brain knows at the end of the day such deals are more expensive. Also the cable offerings is very US centric. It means nothing outside of North America.
The average consumer doesn't givea **** about if its more expensive in the end. If they did the US carrier bussiness wouldn't be as anti-consumer as it is. Apparnetly the program of on contract xboxs have been doing good in the west coast testing market.
...but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.I wouldn't count Nintendo out from this aspect either...
...but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.I wouldn't count Nintendo out from this aspect either...
(http://i.imgur.com/1nfcn.jpg)
Are you trying to sell us tablets and phones? Other than your first sentence, 95% of your post has nothing to do with the next Xbox and is only related because MS is involved somewhere by branding everything "Xbox".QuoteI think Microsoft is going to have some serious pricing advantages. I think they are going to have a not only an on-contract model like they do with the current xbox at multiple retailers, but Cable carriers may offer the 720 as a choice as a cable box as well.Not sure what you are getting at here. Under Kytim's scenario MS doesn't have a price advantage. In your scenario the only thing "Cheaper" is the take home sticker price, but anyone with half a brain knows at the end of the day such deals are more expensive. Also the cable offerings is very US centric. It means nothing outside of North America.
The average consumer doesn't givea **** about if its more expensive in the end. If they did the US carrier bussiness wouldn't be as anti-consumer as it is. Apparnetly the program of on contract xboxs have been doing good in the west coast testing market.
I really hope this "contract" plan won't become the only way to buy an Xbox (or any game console). I'd hate to be forced into paying an Xbox Live subscription just to own an Xbox.
Just to pour a bit more oil on the uncertain waters of the next Xbox, a new report has emerged suggesting that the console may miss its expected 2013 release date.
A story on tech news site SemiAccurate claims that the processor in the next Xbox is being manufactured by AMD - a change from the IBM PowerPC chip in the Xbox 360 - and should start rolling off the production lines in December, but has been hit by manufacturing problems.
The site's sources say that the chip, codenamed "Oban", is being manufactured in huge quantities at a variety of different manufacturing plants in the Far East, which is fairly standard practice for consumer electronics. The problem, apparently, is that most of the chips coming off the production line aren't good enough to pass testing. That means a lot of duff silicon and a greatly reduced ability to manufacture consoles.
This isn't uncommon with new chip manufacture, but the numbers are apparently dangerouslybad andmaymean that Microsoft won't be able to make enough new consoles to meet the expected Xbox 720 launch date of autumn 2013. There's still time to get things sorted, says the report, but not much - if the production problems aren't resolved by November, and chips don't start arriving in big numbers by February, then we might have to wait until 2014 to get the next Xbox.
Could this be the source of Gamestop's recent suggestion that a next-gen console could arrive in 2014? Probably not, we reckon - SemiAccurate's story says that Microsoft is still clinging to a 2013 release date for Xbox 720, and Sony's still got to make a few more quid back on PS3.
Exciting, entirely unconfirmed and possibly completely made-up times. On that subject, here's our roundup of the daftest Xbox 720 rumours.
aren't good enough to pass testing.
Lulz you be so funny.
Not sure I would call this a delay since there is no release date.
The SNES was able to catch up with the Genesis even though it came out two years late wasn't it?
PlayStation 4 hasn't even been officially announced by Sony, so I think there is a very slim chance at best in it coming out in 2013.Well, Xbox 720 has never been officially announced by MS either, so does that mean there's little chance of it coming out in 2013 as well?
PlayStation 4 hasn't even been officially announced by Sony, so I think there is a very slim chance at best in it coming out in 2013.Well, Xbox 720 has never been officially announced by MS either, so does that mean there's little chance of it coming out in 2013 as well?
The company’s natural user-interface ads, or NUads, use Xbox Kinect’s motion sensing technology to transform TV commercials into something you can actively participate in with minimal effort. For instance, people can vote in real-time for a product or service by waving their hand, schedule a calendar reminder for an upcoming TV show, or say “Xbox Near Me” to see a map of locations for whatever retail store just advertised to them. Microsoft first showed off its NUads project at the Cannes International Advertising Festival last June.
“During the Super Bowl, you’re watching TV, some great ads pop up,” said Microsoft manager Lyn Watts in a recent Cnet report. “You say something like, ‘Xbox share,’ it’ll share automatically, on Facebook or Twitter, whatever you like. Advertisers are really impressed by this.”
Essentially, the NUads platform has the potential to start producing commercials that “watch you” while your watching them. In doing so, Microsoft thinks it can lure people away from DVR devices that permit skipping through the commercial breaks that play throughout a TV show. Satellite television service provider Dish Network is even making new DVR boxes (the appropriately named “Hopper” box) that automatically “hops” through those commercials.
The NUads launch couldn’t have come at a better time for the broadcast television industry, which has recently spoken out about how traditional advertising is failing to keep up with audience behavior.
I could see microsoft rushing through the first batch of hardware and not looking at. Problems.While I agree that I could see them rushing it, I don't think it'll happen this time around. The plan for the hardware they are using seems to have been in place for a couple years now and they aren't dealing with a contract with the current makers of the 360 expiring before the 720 is rumored to be released. Plus they are the best selling system every month for over a year now. No reason to rush. If there are RROD problems, then they really dropped the ball somewhere.
I could see microsoft rushing through the first batch of hardware and not looking at. Problems.While I agree that I could see them rushing it, I don't think it'll happen this time around. The plan for the hardware they are using seems to have been in place for a couple years now and they aren't dealing with a contract with the current makers of the 360 expiring before the 720 is rumored to be released. Plus they are the best selling system every month for over a year now. No reason to rush. If there are RROD problems, then they really dropped the ball somewhere.
The economy has been in decline. The Wii still sells well even without new games, because its the most affordable of the three. Its the most recession friendly option.
The economy has been in decline. The Wii still sells well even without new games, because its the most affordable of the three. Its the most recession friendly option.
But the $200 Xbox 360 is a much better value, because it has more games than the Wii (most of which are also higher quality). But you can get also get a PS3 for only $50 more, which gives you a large hard drive and Blu-ray capabilities out of the box. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 are also all-in-one media boxes, capable of streaming video, music, etc. from the web.
Yes the Wii is cheaper, but the overall experience is lesser than what you'd get on either a PS3 or Xbox 360.
It feels like it's 2007 all over again...
Microsoft Studios announced today a new London-based studio headed by Lee Schuneman, the former production director of Rare.
The currently nameless studiowill focus on developing "a long-term business with Entertainment as a Service at its core," according to Microsoft, while working with "Windows 8 tablet devices as the underlying technology and platforms as part of Microsoft Studios' continued expansion across the region."
You know what this means, don't you?QuoteMicrosoft Studios announced today a new London-based studio headed by Lee Schuneman, the former production director of Rare.
I would be delighted if Nintendo once again owned all the Rare IP.
They're worth more to Microsoft doing nothing than letting them go back to someone who can and will make money off them.
They have been porting several of those IP's to Xbox Live Arcade.
They have been porting several of those IP's to Xbox Live Arcade.
I do not think they sold very well.
They have been porting several of those IP's to Xbox Live Arcade.
I do not think they sold very well.
What exactly are you basing that on? Microsoft doesn't give out numbers for XBLA and being first party I doubt anybody there would go badmouthing it to the press.
I would LOVE a new KillerInstinct4 by Retro
so in the alternate reality where this was going to happen, I would hope that this would be part of the reason.
I would LOVE a new KillerInstinct4 by Retro
so in the alternate reality where this was going to happen, I would hope that this would be part of the reason.
Killer Instinct (along with all of Rare's other properties) is owned by Microsoft. The only way Nintendo could get the game is if Microsoft licensed out the IP, which will never happen.
I would LOVE a new KillerInstinct4 by Retro
so in the alternate reality where this was going to happen, I would hope that this would be part of the reason.
Killer Instinct (along with all of Rare's other properties) is owned by Microsoft. The only way Nintendo could get the game is if Microsoft licensed out the IP, which will never happen.
Please read his post again and the ones before it (which he was replying to), he was talking about what game he would like to see if Nintendo were to buy back Rare's IPs from Microsoft.
I was recently informed that the X720 was rumored to have 12GB of RAM in the devkit, while targeting 8GB retail.
I can't imagine how expensive the system will be if they pack it with 8GB of decently fast RAM in the retail version.
MS must be looking for PC parity ports in the next Xbox or something.
Xbox 420 needs 8GB of RAM because it will be running Windoze so it needs a lot of RAM because Windoze is a resource hog.
If they put 8gb RAM in the system, it will either cost a ton or they will no longer have shared RAM between the video card and CPU. 8gb GDDR5 video RAM is too expensive and 8gb DDR3 system RAM is too slow.
But didn't everybody hate Sony for setting it up that way?
8GB is too much for a console. Most phones are at 1gb. My laptop is at 6GB of shared ram and it rarely ever uses all of it and I multitask a lot with it. I still think it'll end up with only 4GB.
Though prices of RAM are continuing to go down. Maybe they think it'll be cost effective by the time they start mass producing the 720.
8GB is too much for a console. Most phones are at 1gb. My laptop is at 6GB of shared ram and it rarely ever uses all of it and I multitask a lot with it. I still think it'll end up with only 4GB.
Though prices of RAM are continuing to go down. Maybe they think it'll be cost effective by the time they start mass producing the 720.
Maybe they're designing for a 10-year life cycle? This is another difference between MS' demonstrated goals with their console hardware vs. Nintendo. Nintendo tries for "good enough" and "profitable," but MS has demonstrated that they are comfortable with future-proofing their releases as much as possible (Didn't the 360 have graphics tech that didn't hit PCs until slightly later?) and willing to take that up-front cost/pricing hit for benefits years later in the game.
Maybe 8 GBs RAM won't look so ridiculous if the XBox 720 is intended to still be relevant in a large way in 2022?
& MS has yet to even see the light at the other end of the tunnel when it comes to being profitable on the Xbox brand. Only someone like MS can take that massive loss leader approach in a for profit industry only to further push their living room agenda.
I'm sure MS is probably dancing on the edges of an "unfair business practices" lawsuit by using massive profits from one industry to buy it's way into another industry in a way that pushes out fair competition that is trying to make a profit.
which will coexist
which will coexist
You mean like how Internet Explorer "coexisted" with Netscape?
Yet we have the
Xbox
Windows
Internet Explorer 10
All products that have gotten rave reviews.
Netscape hasn't been relevant in over 15 years.
And it has nothing to do with the Microsoft of today.
I think Microsoft makes good products, but they had nothing to do with making Skype. They only bought it earlier this year, after Skype was already uber popular and successful.
I think Microsoft makes good products, but they had nothing to do with making Skype. They only bought it earlier this year, after Skype was already uber popular and successful.
Eh I guess so.
But using that logic apple shouldn't be considered the maker of some parts of ios and depending on who you talk too Mac os as a whole. Same thing with google buying sparrow last month. Hell google bought android.
If Microsoft were able to destroy Sony and Nintendo they would do so. The only reason they haven't is because they are unable, but the desire and the intent is there. They want any given market they are in all to themselves.Every company would want this if they could legally get away with it. This isn't exclusive to Microsoft.
he malware can be delivered by hackers via websites that use Flash to delivery the program, thanks to a "zero-day" security hole. The issue affects IE7, IE8, and IE9 on Windows XP, Vista and 7.
The only way Micro$oft could make a product that doesn't suck is if they made a vacuum cleaner.No, they'd put too much RAM in it.
I think Microsoft makes good products, but they had nothing to do with making Skype. They only bought it earlier this year, after Skype was already uber popular and successful.
Eh I guess so.
But using that logic apple shouldn't be considered the maker of some parts of ios and depending on who you talk too Mac os as a whole. Same thing with google buying sparrow last month. Hell google bought android.
Google bought Android? I thought they created it.
Yet we have the
Xbox
Red Ring of DeathWindows
Blue Screen of DeathInternet Explorer 10
All products that have gotten rave reviews.
I'll just leave this here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/19/uk-microsoft-browser-idUSLNE88I01L20120919 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/19/uk-microsoft-browser-idUSLNE88I01L20120919)
They also seem to be pushing their poems for good phone design unlike anroid.re "pushing their poems": I don't understand what that means. Can you please explain? Thanks.
They also seem to be pushing their poems for good phone design unlike anroid.re "pushing their poems": I don't understand what that means. Can you please explain? Thanks.
Hmm, that made me understand it even less, but then Google came to my rescue so I'm good now.They also seem to be pushing their poems for good phone design unlike anroid.re "pushing their poems": I don't understand what that means. Can you please explain? Thanks.
Edited. Auto correct oem to poem.
Windows Phone is interesting... It's the one place where MS is so clearly the underdog, I almost want to root for them to do better!
IE was already thrashing Netscape long before Windows 98 came out.
Doesn't apple do all thestuff with Mac os. Where is all the complaints there.
And manufacturers do not love android.
Amazon has taken aneroid and pretty much skinned it to where it could be called amazon os.
the only manufacturer actually mwkinging money off of android is samsung.
Aneroid apps still look like ****
There are less android tablets apps then there are windows 8 apps and android has been out longer.
Android updates are still untimely as hell and that wont change at all.
There are less android tablets apps then there are windows 8 apps and android has been out longer.
What do you mean Microsoft has yet to see the light at the end of tunnel of the TV race.
& MS has yet to even see the light at the other end of the tunnel when it comes to being profitable on the Xbox brand.
Not only that but the 360 has been a profitable system since 2010 and that's not counting all of the kinects sold as well as the $4.8 billion that xbox live estimates to make per quarter.
And don't use the bullshit excuse that Microsoft is using unfair bussiness pratices about using money from one market to fuel another. If tthat were the case Sony,apple, and google would have been hit as well right? That's how business goes. If the other guy cant compete he is obviously playing out of his league. (Like oyua for example)
You dorealize there is no xbox divsion right. Its the entertaiment divsionwhich includesYes i realize there is no Xbox Division, and im sure you know what i meant by that. But my point is that Xbox as a brand wouldn't exist right now if it weren't propped up on Windows profits, and to this day has yet to make any positive income.
Xbox
Windows phone
Zune
Kin
The xbox itself has been profitable for a time now. Problem there are other not so profitable products lumped in whichcasues a whole. Not that it really matters to microsoft is the long run.
Actually, the Xbox brand is profitable now and has been for a couple of years.
Other highlights included Kinect and Xbox sales, which helped the Entertainment and Devices business beat $1 billion in annual operating profit for the first time ever -- only two quarters into the fiscal year. Microsoft's Xbox business racked up more than $7 billion in operating losses in the early years, but if it continues to crank at the current rate, the company might finally start earning back its investment in a few years.
Microsoft's Xbox division reported disappointing results, recording a 16 percent drop in revenue, to $1.62 billion. The unit also reported a $229 million operating loss, versus a $210 million profit a year ago.
MS has yet to even see the light at the other end of the tunnel when it comes to being profitable on the Xbox brand.
The Hutt writes haiku
Oh Relevant, witty poem!
Applaud the author!
/haiku
The Hutt writes haiku
Oh Relevant, witty poem!
Applaud the author!
/haiku
LOL, technically "poem" is two syllables. So line 2 has 8 syllables.
News: From now on, all Microsoft entertainment and gaming experiences will carry the Xbox branding even on Windows, says senior director Leonardo Metelli, who has also been talking about how entertainment rather than gaming is now the major growth area on Xbox Live, and how Kinect will drive whole new types of advertising on their home console – including the slightly creepy “Two-Way TV”.
Leonardo Metelli, Microsoft‘s senior director of Xbox Live Entertainment and Advertising, has been talking at the ad:tech conference in London about how the Xbox brand has grown beyond just the home console bearing its name, and how the company intend to leverage the massively growing market for consuming entertainment on Xbox Live and their Kinect peripheral to create new styles of advertising experience.
Metelli set out the new non-hardware focus for the Xbox name by stating: “Xbox is becoming THE Microsoft brand for entertainment”, and highlighted just why entertainment is now as important to Xbox Live as gaming.
In 2012 “there are more hours being spent on entertainment than gaming,” Metelli said, and, while gaming figures have not dropped, usage of entertainment apps has doubled on Xbox Live year on year. There has also been a 30% increase in overall Xbox Live use year on year as well.
Metelli also revealed that Microsoft are keen to promote new advertising opportunities that make use of the distinctive features of Xbox Live and the Kinect sensor peripheral. “Branded Destination Experiences” – Kinect-enabled “microsite” advertisements on Xbox Live – are one, while Nuads, featuring gesture, voice and controller ad interactivity, will allow brands to get real-time feedback from viewers.
Perhaps the most potent – and mildly Orwellian – use for Kinect will be something Microsoft are calling “Two-Way TV”, television programming that reflects the viewer’s input, taking into account what the user is expressing and whether they are actively engaged to alter the way a programme plays out. Sesame Street and National Geographic TV are already signed up to Two-Way TV, which launches on Xbox Live this week.
http://beefjack.com/news/ms-xbox-is-becoming-the-microsoft-brand-for-entertainment/ (http://beefjack.com/news/ms-xbox-is-becoming-the-microsoft-brand-for-entertainment/)
MS: “Xbox is becoming THE Microsoft brand for entertainment”QuoteNews: From now on, all Microsoft entertainment and gaming experiences will carry the Xbox branding even on Windows, says senior director Leonardo Metelli, who has also been talking about how entertainment rather than gaming is now the major growth area on Xbox Live, and how Kinect will drive whole new types of advertising on their home console – including the slightly creepy “Two-Way TV”.
Leonardo Metelli, Microsoft‘s senior director of Xbox Live Entertainment and Advertising, has been talking at the ad:tech conference in London about how the Xbox brand has grown beyond just the home console bearing its name, and how the company intend to leverage the massively growing market for consuming entertainment on Xbox Live and their Kinect peripheral to create new styles of advertising experience.
Metelli set out the new non-hardware focus for the Xbox name by stating: “Xbox is becoming THE Microsoft brand for entertainment”, and highlighted just why entertainment is now as important to Xbox Live as gaming.
In 2012 “there are more hours being spent on entertainment than gaming,” Metelli said, and, while gaming figures have not dropped, usage of entertainment apps has doubled on Xbox Live year on year. There has also been a 30% increase in overall Xbox Live use year on year as well.
Metelli also revealed that Microsoft are keen to promote new advertising opportunities that make use of the distinctive features of Xbox Live and the Kinect sensor peripheral. “Branded Destination Experiences” – Kinect-enabled “microsite” advertisements on Xbox Live – are one, while Nuads, featuring gesture, voice and controller ad interactivity, will allow brands to get real-time feedback from viewers.
Perhaps the most potent – and mildly Orwellian – use for Kinect will be something Microsoft are calling “Two-Way TV”, television programming that reflects the viewer’s input, taking into account what the user is expressing and whether they are actively engaged to alter the way a programme plays out. Sesame Street and National Geographic TV are already signed up to Two-Way TV, which launches on Xbox Live this week.
They have always seperated gaming and other forms of entertainment. Its not just Microsoft. When you hear entertainment industry its usually receding too music/movies/Tv.while gaming is in its own gaming industry ghetto even though it makes as much money as the others.
But its nothing new
(http://www.winsupersite.com/content/content/144156/music-default.jpg)
Zune has already been like that. So far we know its going to have.
-free subscrption tier
-Zune pass like subscrption (will probably be intergarted in a new xbox live teir)
-scan and match locker system
Probably going toget more info about it next month.
Interesting. I wonder when the new iTunes is scheduled to be released? Looking forward to that.
your
If Memory serves in OSX you still need iTunes to Sync an iDevice. Windows you need Zune for Winphone. I'm hoping next iterations they both just work with the OS.
You don't need iTunes for iPhones anymore, they've gotten it to the point that you never really have to sync it.Hence why I only sync directly with the PC and itunes when a major upgrade happens (like moving to iOS 6 or getting the next iteration of the iphone).
I think iTunes is very user friendly, a really nice layout and easy to find stuff. My only gripe is the same one I have with iPod Touch (the only other Apple product) in that it doesn't come with an instruction manual (digital for thi).
I have no problem using the devices, but there have been features that I never even knew existed until month later (when I would see an article online talking about features people may not know about). Apple is already making well over $100 in profit on a iPod Touch, would it have killed them to spend $2 and include a manual (yes I know it will be useless within a year)?
Microsoft asked Mojang for a hand in certifying Minecraft for Windows 8, but Notch isn't interested. Instead, he said on Twitter, "I told them to stop trying to ruin the PC as an open platform."
I'd rather have minecraft not run on win 8 at all than to play along. Maybe we can convince a few people not to switch to win 8 that way
http://mobile.theverge.com/gaming/2012/9/27/3416872/minecraft-creator-notch-microsoft-windows-8Haters gonna hate.
So notch for some reason isn't a fan of the Windows 8 store. Apparently microsoft went to him about a windows 8 version of minecraft. He didn't say if it was going to be a windows store metro game or just a listing of desktop version.
He saidQuoteMicrosoft asked Mojang for a hand in certifying Minecraft for Windows 8, but Notch isn't interested. Instead, he said on Twitter, "I told them to stop trying to ruin the PC as an open platform."
And then followed up with this tweetQuoteI'd rather have minecraft not run on win 8 at all than to play along. Maybe we can convince a few people not to switch to win 8 that way
Have to say I lost a ton of respect I had for notch onthe basis that he's using a strawman argument.
http://mobile.theverge.com/gaming/2012/9/27/3416872/minecraft-creator-notch-microsoft-windows-8
So Notch for some reason isn't a fan of the Windows 8 Store. Apparently Microsoft went to him about a Windows 8 version of Minecraft. He didn't say if it was going to be a Windows Store "Metro" game or just a listing of desktop version.
He saidQuoteMicrosoft asked Mojang for a hand in certifying Minecraft for Windows 8, but Notch isn't interested. Instead, he said on Twitter, "I told them to stop trying to ruin the PC as an open platform."
And then followed up with this tweetQuoteI'd rather have minecraft not run on win 8 at all than to play along. Maybe we can convince a few people not to switch to win 8 that way
Have to say I lost a ton of respect I had for Notch on the basis that he's using a strawman argument.
It's not hypocritical to think that PCs should be open but it's okay for mobile devices and game consoles not to be. They're for different things.
Actually, it is. He claims to support open platforms but opposes them when he wants. Besides, making Minecraft optimized for the Windows 8 Store will not stop people from being able to play the current PC version, so he has nothing to complain about. I hope he never plans to make games for Steam, Mac Store, or Origin, since those are effectively the same thing
Contrary to what you may have heard, Mac OS X is an open platform.
Are there are truly viable open systems aside from Windows?
Are there are truly viable open systems aside from Windows?
WTF? Windows is about as unopen as it comes. Same with Mac OSX. Android and Linux and FreeBSD and so on are the only open systems I'm aware of.
I agree with Kairon. Anybody can make commercial software for Windows. That's part of the appeal. To change that would effectively change the whole nature of PCs and people like PCs for a reason. If you want a closed system, fine, but MS shouldn't change the nature of a product that a large market of people already like. If I want a Smartphone setup, I'll buy a Smartphone.
It's like if Nintendo decided to start making casual games... oh wait. ;)
Twas a joke my friend.
So you are moving the goal posts. I would go on, but someone would get hurt. Consider your opinion disputed.I agree with Kairon. Anybody can make commercial software for Windows. That's part of the appeal. To change that would effectively change the whole nature of PCs and people like PCs for a reason. If you want a closed system, fine, but MS shouldn't change the nature of a product that a large market of people already like. If I want a Smartphone setup, I'll buy a Smartphone.
It's like if Nintendo decided to start making casual games... oh wait. ;)
Casual games have existed long before the terminology came about. The old arcade and puzzle games like Tetris, Pac-Man, Bomberman, Donkey Kong (arcade), Mario Bros. (arcade), Punch Out, Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Joust, Tecmo Bowl, etc. would be considered "casual games" in today's world. In fact, a large majority of games made in the 1970's and 1980's were "casual games".
Nintendo has been making "casual games" for decades, since before the NES/Famicom era. Also, Nintendo didn't create anything "new" when they made Wii Sports, they simply brought gaming back to its humble roots.
I plan to watch the debates, but on TV. Meh, maybe I will have my Xbox 360 on anyways. I couldn't care less about Halo 4, but I love free swag.
Speaking of Xbox 360 rewards, Microsoft started a program to reward people based on their Gamerscore. If you have a Gamerscore of 3,000-9,999, you are a "Contender" and will get a special gift in your birthday month (though they don't say what it is). If your Gamerscore is 10,000-24,999 you are a "Champion" and get both the special gift and a 1% rebate on every Xbox Live Marketplace purchase (i.e. you buy a 1200 point game and you will get 12 points back). If your Gamerscore is 25,000 or higher you are a "Legend" and will get the special gift and a 2% rebate on Xbox Live Marketplace purchases.
You cant compare xboxnlive to pen+. Also its pretty likely Sony is going to charge for online play next gen.
That and free Espn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Free Games imo.
PSn will always be inferior this generation because.
1) Sony doesn't run the game servers like Microsoft does. When say a game like Shawn white snowboarding closes ot servers on PS3 the game will still be able to be played online on the 360.
Also xbox live will be getting the whole season of some syfy show days before anyone else. Xbox its for the gamers.
Studios Microsoft owns
US
343 Industries (Halo series)
Connected Experiences
Good Science Studios (Kinect Fun Labs)
Kids's and Lifestyle Entertaiment
Microsoft Studios Redmond Publishing
Microsoft Studios Mobile Gaming
Platform Next Studios
Playful Learning
Skybox Studios
Turn 10 Studios (Forza)
Twisted Pixel ('Splosion Man, The Gunstringer)
Xbox Live Productions
Microsoft is just distributing Dance Central 3, Harmonix is publishing it themselves. Ska Studios is publishing Charlie Murder. Super T.I.M.E. Force is being published by Capybara Games (and it's a 2013 release anyways). Spelunky was published by Mossmouth. BattleBlock Theater is from The Beheamoth and has no release date yet. I can't even find any information on Fire Pro Wrestling for Xbox 360 other than it is developed by Spike and uses Avartars (can't find a publisher or if it even has a real release date or title).
Connected Experiences, Kids and Lifestyle Entertainment, Microsoft Studios – Redmond Publishing, Platform Next Studios, Playful Learning, Skybox Sports, Microsoft Studios – London, Press Play, Microsoft Studios Vancouver, and Microsoft Studios Victoria have not made any games and they are only working on "untitled projects".
tendo, not surprised. Of the ones you said you haven't heard of, only 2 have made games that are out or even announced. Microsoft Studios - Mobile Gaming made ilomilo (for Windows Phone 7, Xbox Live Arcade, and Windows 8 ). Xbox Live Productions published the Xbox Live Arcade games South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play and South Park: Tenorman's Revenge and made Avatar Kinect.
There shouldn't be any debates unless they invite the 3rd party candidates as well.
To stay on topic, they are here tendo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Studios_(game_studio)#Software_development_studios (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Studios_(game_studio)#Software_development_studios)
Here you go
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Fire-Pro-Wrestling/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258410a82 (http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Fire-Pro-Wrestling/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258410a82)
Its pretty fun from the trail I played.
Also. If you go into microsofts job sites you can find most of the studios coupled with various press releases.
For example the london studio was just opened two weeks ago and is focused on windows 8 games and is helmed by former rare staff. Skybox studios was only mentioned in a internal document and in the microsoft carrers website.
Former Rare staff? The people that left Rare after Microsoft bought them? Or the Rare that worked on Kinect games?
Mobile-style sleep modes are going to be a standard feature for all next generation consoles. Running through an entire boot sequence every time you turn on your system is obviously antiquated. Everything should be able to sleep and resume instantly, multitask and potentially keep multiple game states stored so you don't even have to boot a game and load a hard save. It will just snapshot the gamestate to flash memory and keep it until you come back, even if you switch to another app, game, or "power down" the system.
It's worth noting that the leaked Xbox 720 concept docs describe a system that revolves around being always on and the only input your TV is ever set to. It has a low power SoC for media and social functions that never shuts off, like a Roku or DVR, and it would use a Google TV style HDMI pass-through for Cable or Sat TV so you can watch live television while still having access to notifications and dashboard elements. The 720 itself would play DVDs, Blu-rays, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc, so theoretically you'd never have reason to connect anything else. The actual implementation may be different, but I think those kinds of conveniences are at the core of Microsoft's strategy next gen.
Point is, WiiU's modern OS may seem nice compared to 7 year old hardware, but that's not what it will ultimately be competing with. In the case of the 720 you will probably be able to do exactly what you describe, only using Smart Glass with any iPhone or tablet instead of the WiiU controller, but the 720 will switch over to the game automatically when it's ready, and while you're playing warn you when you're favorite football team is about to start playing, asking helpfully if you want to suspend your game and switch to ESPN. And since it's voice controlled you can just say yes.
It makes no sense to have people participate if they have no chance at winning.
Microsoft has been officially silent about plans for a successor to its Xbox 360 video-game console, but here’s a telltale sign that things are ramping up behind-the-scenes: The company is boosting security to an unprecedented level in the area of the Redmond campus that is home to the Xbox team, GeekWire has learned.
The company notified employees this week that it will be implementing new physical security measures —limiting employee access at four key Xbox and Interactive Entertainment Business buildings to ensure confidentiality of upcoming products.
It’s the first time Microsoft has taken this step on such a broad scale. The move represents a cultural shift, giving Microsoft’s key consumer products a level of security more along the lines of those implemented by Apple.
Microsoft hasn’t said when its next console is launching, and executives didn’t reference any specific product plans in their communications with employees this week. However, if the company were aiming for a fall 2013 launch of a new console, it would make sense for preliminary systems to start arriving soon for internal use and testing.
The changes will affect Microsoft Studios A, B, C, and D, on the west side of state Route 520, starting early next month with Studio A and rolling out to the other buildings by the end of the month.
Under the new policy, only employees and vendors in Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business or assigned to the buildings will have open access. Other employees and vendors who need to enter the buildings for business reasons will need to go through an online registration process or register at the buildings as visitors, escorted by another employee with access to the buildings. The changes don’t impact the Commons area in the middle of the Xbox campus.
The changes are part of a broader plan to improve Xbox security, including document management. Over the summer, apparent details of the next Xbox version were made public in what was described at the time as the “Mother Of All Microsoft Leaks.”
Microsoft has historically had an open access policy across its Redmond campus, with employees able to visit any building, with rare exception.
http://www.geekwire.com/2012/microsofts-boosts-security-xbox-hq-advance-hardware/ (http://www.geekwire.com/2012/microsofts-boosts-security-xbox-hq-advance-hardware/)
QuoteMicrosoft has been officially silent about plans for a successor to its Xbox 360 video-game console, but here’s a telltale sign that things are ramping up behind-the-scenes: The company is boosting security to an unprecedented level in the area of the Redmond campus that is home to the Xbox team, GeekWire has learned.
The company notified employees this week that it will be implementing new physical security measures —limiting employee access at four key Xbox and Interactive Entertainment Business buildings to ensure confidentiality of upcoming products.
It’s the first time Microsoft has taken this step on such a broad scale. The move represents a cultural shift, giving Microsoft’s key consumer products a level of security more along the lines of those implemented by Apple.
Microsoft hasn’t said when its next console is launching, and executives didn’t reference any specific product plans in their communications with employees this week. However, if the company were aiming for a fall 2013 launch of a new console, it would make sense for preliminary systems to start arriving soon for internal use and testing.
The changes will affect Microsoft Studios A, B, C, and D, on the west side of state Route 520, starting early next month with Studio A and rolling out to the other buildings by the end of the month.
Under the new policy, only employees and vendors in Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business or assigned to the buildings will have open access. Other employees and vendors who need to enter the buildings for business reasons will need to go through an online registration process or register at the buildings as visitors, escorted by another employee with access to the buildings. The changes don’t impact the Commons area in the middle of the Xbox campus.
The changes are part of a broader plan to improve Xbox security, including document management. Over the summer, apparent details of the next Xbox version were made public in what was described at the time as the “Mother Of All Microsoft Leaks.”
Microsoft has historically had an open access policy across its Redmond campus, with employees able to visit any building, with rare exception.
Hmm I wonder if this makes a reveal at build even more likely.
October 21/22 – Lumia 920 announced for AT&T, including pricing and availability. No word on pre-orders thru AT&T’s main site. Traditionally, AT&T has announced new phones with a pre-order date following a week later.[/q]
The cheapest Xbox 360 retail package, which has 4GB of built-in flash memory, now costs $199 after a $50 drop in pricing. A bundle with a Kinect sensor can be bought for $299, down $100.http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/438030/microsoft_cuts_xbox_360_prices_/ (http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/438030/microsoft_cuts_xbox_360_prices_/)
An Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive now costs $299, saving $150 from its existing price. Limited edition consoles (http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/Xbox360/Consoles/Bundles/Home) also drop in price, with the all-white Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle dropping $50 to $399.
http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/10/3/3449800/xbox-360-entertainment-bundle-includes-3-months-of-live-amazon (http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/10/3/3449800/xbox-360-entertainment-bundle-includes-3-months-of-live-amazon)
The Xbox 360 Entertainment Bundle (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393193&linkCode=shr&tag=thserainpsne-20&docId=1000825711&pf_rd_i=B003O6JKLC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=1400303022&pf_rd_r=1FQKKWWGR9CYHSFVW7A6&pf_rd_s=hero-quick-promo&pf_rd_t=201) is available now on Amazon, and includes a 4GB Xbox 360 console, a three-month subscription to Xbox Live, a Media Remote, and a few other bonuses for $229.
The package, which arrived quietly on Amazon late last month, is designed to get buyers into the multimedia applications that have become a focus for the console in recent years; applications like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video. To that point, the bundle also includes a $10 credit for Amazon Instant Video, which is enough to rent a few films from the service.
The bundle, which saves over $50 from the cost of all items bought separately, also includes vouchers for three unspecified Xbox Live Arcade games. We've reached out to Amazon to find out the identity of these titles.
Microsoft is preparing to launch its Xbox Music service on October 26th. Multiple sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have confirmed the new service will launch at the same time as Windows 8. We're told that subscriptions, like the current Zune Music Pass offering, will be available alongside a free streaming service supported by ads — similar to Spotify. The service will be available on Windows Phone, Windows 8, and Xbox 360.http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/3/3446070/xbox-music-free-streaming-october-26th (http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/3/3446070/xbox-music-free-streaming-october-26th)
A key part of the service is Microsoft's SkyDrive integration that will allow users to store music and playlists in a cloud collection — available across multiple devices. Although Microsoft has plans (http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/25/2973682/microsoft-xbox-live-music-service-codename-woodstock-e3-2012) to offer Xbox Music across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android, apps will not be immediately available we're told. Microsoft is also planning to launch an Xbox dashboard update to support Xbox Music on its console. The software maker will also update its Music and Video apps for Windows 8 to fully support Xbox Music, around the time of the Windows 8 launch on October 26th.
What’s up everyone, I’m Ryan Hamlyn,Multiplayer Development Manager for Medal of Honor Warfighter, and I’m excited to personally invite you to get a taste of Medal of Honor Warfighter multiplayer through our exclusive Xbox 360 Open Beta, starting October 5th! Previously, we’ve shown you the lush jungles of the Philippines and the coastal areas of Somalia.Next we’retaking you to Sarajevo Stadium in Bosnia. As the combat starts, keep your eyes open for the former glory of this athletic playground. Keep with your Fireteam buddy as you take to the Hotspot game mode, where you’ll be tasked to attackor defend weapon caches that randomly pop-up on the battlefield.
Here’s a brief look at some of our features to get you ready to hit the ground running once the Open Beta goes live:
Fireteams Kicking things off is our exciting new Fireteams feature that makes class selection and team play much more interesting. Our consulting Operators have told us that in the real world they split up in pairs and work together to a point where they feel connected to their combat buddies, even without having them in direct sight. We’ve integrated this connection into the game so that you’ll be able chose a Fireteambuddyand trackhimfrom any distance and through any situation. This feature comes with many gameplay benefits including new buddy respawn options and resupply of ammo and health. And don’t forget there are also plenty of scoring rewards for working as a team, so be sure to keep close to your buddy and see what other bonuses you can achieve together.
Authentic Action Medal of Honor has always been an authentic experience, and this quality gives us the tools to take our multiplayer to a place no other shooter can go – putting you in the shoes of the world’s most elite warriors. In the Open Beta, you’ll get to see how the German KSK, the Polish GROM, the British SAS, and the famed U.S. Navy SEALS, along with all 12 total Tier 1 units, operate in real world locations. So choose your warrior and take them to a battleground where the best of the best fight to claim the top spot, claiming true Tier 1 status.
Battlelog Social Hub Not only can you step into the boots of 12 International Operators from around the world,but we’ve also made sure that every country in the United Nations is represented through our metagame, Warfighter Nations, powered by Battlelog. Battlelog also connects you incredibly deep into the stats of your online play, your friends, your platoon, and your best Fireteam buddies. Track your class ‘Tours’, explore every weapon in the game chasing weapon pins, customize your own platoon patch, and even fully customize your weapon in the “My Gun” tool. And, we’ve extended the experienceto your consoleso you’llbe able to pull up the Battlelog dashboard to seethelatest on how your friends are progressing and what unlocks lie in store for you next.
Warfighter Classes Rebuilding Medal of Honor on the Frostbite 2 engine has allowed us to remake our class system. Each of the six Classes will offer you a different style of play, different abilities, and different support actions, which allows you to select your class based on what’s best for you! We encourage you to try them all out. The full game has 12 InternationalOperators, 35map/mode combinations, and thousands of Fireteam pairs to choose from while battling it out in authentic real world locations. We hope you enjoy this small slice of Warfighter that we’re offering in the Open Beta, and we look forward to hearing your feedback!
I plan to watch the debates, but on TV. Meh, maybe I will have my Xbox 360 on anyways. I couldn't care less about Halo 4, but I love free swag.
Speaking of Xbox 360 rewards, Microsoft started a program to reward people based on their Gamerscore. If you have a Gamerscore of 3,000-9,999, you are a "Contender" and will get a special gift in your birthday month (though they don't say what it is). If your Gamerscore is 10,000-24,999 you are a "Champion" and get both the special gift and a 1% rebate on every Xbox Live Marketplace purchase (i.e. you buy a 1200 point game and you will get 12 points back). If your Gamerscore is 25,000 or higher you are a "Legend" and will get the special gift and a 2% rebate on Xbox Live Marketplace purchases.
Don't know, they should since Apple is the same way. You don't get that automatic choice when you buy a Mac computer, for example. My only guess is it's because PC's vastly outsell Macs. Guess the EU doesn't care that Apple has a OS monopoly on Macs.
Regarding the first point, you have to use tricks to get OS X to work in Windows too.I know about the trick(s). I am using them right now to type this out. My computer is a non-apple Mac. The trick is basically a bootloader. The only hacks I had to use was custom drivers for the network and a description file for the graphics card. Everything else works natively.
-Refreshed Xbox 360 Dashboard. We’ve updated the UI with a few things, including an updated layout with more tiles, a combined TV & Movies channel and, in the US, a Sports destination. -Internet Explorer for Xbox. With Internet Explorer on Xbox, you can easily find and view internet content on the biggest screen in the house, including HTML5 videos. -Recommendations and Ratings. Recommendations will allow you to discover new favorites, generated based on a number of variables including the content you previously viewed, what your friends are consuming and what is most relevant and popular with our Xbox community. You can now rate content yourself and also see Rotten Tomatoes ratings. -Pinning. Pinning lets you personalize the dashboard by saving your favorite movies, TV shows, games, music, videos and websites right to the home screen. It’s as easy as opening an app or a favorite movie and clicking “pin.” -Xbox Video. Formerly called Zune Video Marketplace, Xbox Video offers hundreds of thousands of TV shows and movies for buying or renting in instant HD streaming. -Recent. Previously called Quick Play, the Recent view gives you a list of movies, games, apps or other types of content that you most recently accessed on the console. -Enhanced Search. The last Xbox LIVE update brought Bing voice search to Xbox so you could use voice to search for movies, TV shows, actors, directors and artists. This year we added genre search to the list, so now you can search for action, comedy, romance, drama or sci-fi. Bing voice search now includes results for video across the Web, including YouTube. -International Expansion of Voice Search. We’ve expanded our Kinect voice search capabilities to 9 new countries –Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Ireland.
What about Xbox SmartGlass? That’s coming too, but not until Windows 8 launches on October 26th. When the Xbox SmartGlass app launches on tablets, PCs and smartphones, it will include key foundational experiences for interacting with your Xbox 360, such as dashboard and app navigation and Internet Explorer control, like text input, scrolling and pinch and zoom.
Yesterday, we shared all the details about Xbox Music, our brand new digital music service. Xbox Music begins rolling out today on Xbox 360, it will launch with free streaming on all Windows 8 PCs and tablets on October 26th and Windows Phone 8 as devices arrive in market. Xbox Music combines all the different ways people love to enjoy music, creating the ultimate all-in-one music service.
Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Your whole post made me laugh, especially since you can't see the illegality of what Apple is doing. Whatever, part of this makes me want to see Macs get a larger marketshare so the DOJ and EU will finally go after them.
Also Microsoft has announced pricing got the Surface RT tablet.
(http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1567383/surfacepricing_560.png)
Really think it would have been better to cut each model by $100 so the entry level would be $399.
At this point $600 for a 32GB RT tablet makes no sense for around that same much HP will offer the HP Envy X2 for the same amount and that will be at 64GB and running a clovertrail processor letting you also run X86 applications.
Sucks as the device and keyboard looked really good in the commerical that premired yesterday. Still expecting the device to sell moderately well but not at ipad levels. Not really important when there are a ton of other form factors to choose from.
Overpriced.Also Microsoft has announced pricing got the Surface RT tablet.
(http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1567383/surfacepricing_560.png)
Really think it would have been better to cut each model by $100 so the entry level would be $399.
At this point $600 for a 32GB RT tablet makes no sense for around that same much HP will offer the HP Envy X2 for the same amount and that will be at 64GB and running a clovertrail processor letting you also run X86 applications.
Sucks as the device and keyboard looked really good in the commerical that premired yesterday. Still expecting the device to sell moderately well but not at ipad levels. Not really important when there are a ton of other form factors to choose from.
How are those prices bad if they are the same as (or comparable to) an iPad? The surface gives you more functionality than an iPad, with the inclusion of HDMI and USB ports. If you think the Surface is overpriced, then what about the iPad?
As soon as MS stated that it wasn't supporting any X86 software the Surface went right off my "want" list. Would have been killer if there was an tablet that supported existing PC software (Steam for one) but sadly the Windows RT will only support the few apps from MS store.Congratulation! Your the Market for the Pro which will be a fully functional Windows.
Compared to the millions on apps on Droid/Apple stores, MS's selection is going be rather limited. Can't even play my XBLA games on it :( . Pointless.
As soon as MS stated that it wasn't supporting any X86 software the Surface went right off my "want" list. Would have been killer if there was an tablet that supported existing PC software (Steam for one) but sadly the Windows RT will only support the few apps from MS store.
Compared to the millions on apps on Droid/Apple stores, MS's selection is going be rather limited. Can't even play my XBLA games on it :( . Pointless.
Did you know Microsoft has a monopoly on the Xbox 360 according to TJ's logic? They should be prosecuted because they don't allow the PS3 XMB on it.Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Your whole post made me laugh, especially since you can't see the illegality of what Apple is doing. Whatever, part of this makes me want to see Macs get a larger marketshare so the DOJ and EU will finally go after them.
What is illegal about what Apple is doing? You don't seem to understand the difference between Apple, who makes their own hardware that runs their own software, and Microsoft, who makes an OS that other companies make hardware for. I also hope Apple sees a dramatic spike in marketshare, so I get better software support and you get shown that they won't get prosecuted.
As soon as MS stated that it wasn't supporting any X86 software the Surface went right off my "want" list. Would have been killer if there was an tablet that supported existing PC software (Steam for one) but sadly the Windows RT will only support the few apps from MS store.
Compared to the millions on apps on Droid/Apple stores, MS's selection is going be rather limited. Can't even play my XBLA games on it :( . Pointless.
Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Fanboy in denial...
Apple is in no way a monopoly. There is nothing illegal about making your own hardware and software and tying them to each other, and calling them a monopoly because only Macs run OS X or because Macs only run OS X shows how ignorant you are of what antitrust laws are supposed to do. Boot Camp has nothing to do with that; Apple didn't have to officially support dual booting like they do. What is illegal is abusing your monopoly position in the market to unfairly influence other companies or markets, which is what Microsoft did.
Fanboy in denial...
Person who is ignorant of antitrust law making baseless claims.
Promoting their browser didn't cause the lawsuit. It was Microsoft forcing any OEM that wanted to include Windows would also HAVE to include Internet Explorer as the only installed browser. And since Windows PC's were like 95% of the market (they still are like 90%), it would be financially disastrous for a manufacturer to try and sell a PC without Windows installed because consumers would likely pick a different computer..
Xbox SmartGlass will also be available later this week when Windows 8 launches on October 26th. When the Xbox SmartGlass app launches on tablets, PCs and smartphones, it will include key foundational experiences for interacting with your Xbox 360, such as dashboard and app navigation and Internet Explorer control, like text input, scrolling and pinch and zoom. Additionally, you will get SmartGlass experiences with Xbox Video and Xbox Music starting this week. Xbox SmartGlass will be a free downloadable app that takes your Windows 8 tablets and PCs, Windows Phone 8, iOS and Android devices, and converts them into a smart second screen for the entertainment you are enjoying through your Xbox.
Because there are a number of people for whom $100 up front and a monthly payment fits their lives more than dropping $250 up front and also paying for XBL anyway. Just like cell phones, but no one blinks at that.I do.
Well, I do. Cause I haven't been on contract in four or so years and just buy my phones outright, but I'm one of a very small number of people who do that.
Navigate through the Xbox 360 Dash using the familiar gestures that you use throughout the day on your smartphone and tablet computer. Selecting something is as simple as tapping the screen.
Use the virtual keyboard you’re most familiar with-the one you use everyday on your smart device. Typing text and numbers into Xbox SmartGlass is as simple as writing a text message.
Xbox SmartGlass is the world’s greatest remote control for Internet Explorer and the only way you will ever want to surf the web. Use Xbox SmartGlass to navigate, scroll, pinch and zoom, and launch hotlinks on your IE browser right from your smart device.[/auote]
Xbox Video Guide
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/7d/73/7d7315d2-a1c0-4fb7-a4bc-bc6ee604033f.jpg?n=mod2-xbox-video-guide-455x256.jpg)QuoteUse Xbox Video Guide to discover more about the actors on screen, jump to the exact moment you’d like to watch, or find other videos you might enjoy next, when you watch TV or movies with Xbox Video on your Xbox 360.
Xbox Music Guide
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/c7/33/c7335dc4-1c77-44ba-9c64-9111c59953a2.jpg?n=mod2-xbox-music-guide-455x256.jpg)QuoteUse Xbox Music Guide to read about your favorite artists, control the music that’s playing on your Xbox 360 and discover great new content related to your favorite tunes.
Dance Central 3
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/d5/e0/d5e0f1ae-07bc-427f-b5ca-919b9408f193.jpg?n=mod2-dance-central3-455x256.jpg)QuoteUse your touchscreen mobile device or tablet to control your Party Time playlists on the fly, update settings like difficulty and play modes, set and track fitness goals, and more…all without interrupting gameplay, or having to navigate in-game menus.
Forza Horizon
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/fe/68/fe680ed3-9fea-4d50-81fd-7b0aaa45f389.jpg?n=mod2-forza-horizon-455x256.jpg)QuoteExplore the open roads of Colorado with the Forza Horizon Xbox SmartGlass Experience. Explore and interact with the complete map of the Forza Horizon game world through intuitive gestures on your tablet or mobile device while seamlessly playing the game on your TV screen. No pausing required-keep the pedal down no matter where your destination lies.
Home StarRunners
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/df/e0/dfe0d976-301b-4971-94fa-eb106cec09ee.jpg?n=mod2-home-run-stars-455x256.jpg)QuoteStep up to the plate and swing for the fence in Home Run Stars, featuring Avatar FameStar! Progress through the League mode through all three unique stadiums. Each one features a vast number of spectacular targets to aim for and earn big points. Compete with your friends in multiplayer for the highest score. Use your device supported by Xbox SmartGlass to compete in a Duel with a friend!
Upcoming apps
Slacker Radio
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/09/3a/093afe97-f140-424f-9327-e7870c84c3c0.jpg?n=mod2-slacker-radio-450x256.jpg)QuoteSlacker has more personalized content than any other radio service, featuring over 200 expert-programmed stations of music, ESPN Radio, ABC News, comedy and more! Listen to millions of songs from thousands of artists, customized just for you.
Kinect Seasme Street TV
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/49/a1/49a1b91f-0dee-42ff-8dfb-2be2ee4cabca.jpg?n=mod2-kinect-sesame-street-tv-455x256.jpg)QuoteChildren are invited to experience the world of Sesame Street alongside their favorite characters, such as Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster and Elmo, like never before. Learning has never been so much fun.
Now TV
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/d6/f7/d6f7249a-8386-4e87-96a7-587bad9893b3.jpg?n=mod2-now-tv-450x256.jpg)QuoteNOW TV, powered by Sky, provides instant-access to Sky Movies, through your XBox. Offering easy and flexible access to the UK's most popular subscription movies service with up to 600 exclusive titles at any one time – NOW TV comes with no contract, set-up costs or installation. New customers can also take advantage of a free 30 day trial of the service.
NBC News
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/5c/a9/5ca97bcf-d056-4760-946e-a9db8501e52d.jpg?n=mod2-nbc-news-455x256.jpg)QuoteWatch NBC News for the latest business, politics, entertainment and health videos. The #1 source for news videos online is now on Xbox.
Karaoke
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/17/e8/17e82c86-b374-48f4-a1e3-24c481a32c42.jpg?n=mod2-karaoke-455x256.jpg)QuoteBring the party home and sing more than 8,000 songs from the latest hits to the rockin’ oldies! Build your own personalized stage and back-up band as you directly stream any song from the entire playlist. Use the SmartGlass app to quickly and easily pick songs and add them to the queue. Enjoy Karaoke like you’ve never experienced it before! Coming later this year!
MSN
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/7e/4e/7e4e8e4f-7e40-469b-9c92-5d04929c9142.jpg?n=mod2-msn_455x256.jpg)QuoteMSN Companion allows you to control your MSN viewing experience. Browse the latest news, sports, original programming, and more, all on-demand from your device while using the MSN app on your Xbox 360.
Ascend: New Gods
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/55/c8/55c87599-9449-41a2-9c61-2b621bd2fee9.jpg?n=mod2-ascend-455x256.jpg)QuoteAscend: Oracle is the premiere companion experience for Xbox LIVE Arcade’s Ascend: New Gods. The first of its kind, this game-state-aware strategy companion provides just-in-time player-boss stats and comprehensive dungeon maps with real-time player location automatically while you play the game.
UFC
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/89/94/89949457-e6db-474c-9280-993e00cbf8f8.jpg?n=mod2-UFC-455x256.jpg)QuoteWith video on demand, an interactive fight card with Fight Picks, and easy Pay-Per-View, UFC on Xbox LIVE gives you the fight your way!
ESPN
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/34/82/34821ab5-7285-4424-8217-1354c6dc48c2.jpg?n=mod2-ESPN_450x256.jpg)QuoteESPN on Xbox LIVE® is the most powerful way to get your daily sports fix! With thousands of live events, highlights and replays in HD, and rich personalization features, you will never miss a moment of the action!
NBA Game Time
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/8d/0b/8d0bcf1f-cabc-45aa-8705-e782b1abd26c.jpg?n=mod2-NBA_450x256.jpg)QuoteFollow your favorite NBA teams and players on your Xbox 360 with NBA Game Time. Dig deep with daily highlights from around the league and up to the minute stats.
Today Show
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/f0/8b/f08bf97c-2ceb-484c-804b-9b412878db30.jpg?n=mod2-today-show-455x256.jpg)QuoteNBC News’ TODAY, America’s number one morning news program, provides the latest news, entertainment and lifestyle stories.
HBO GO
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/35/98/35987d12-8af4-4a96-852c-ab68c97ff736.jpg?n=mod2-HBOGO_455x256.jpg)QuoteWith Xbox SmartGlass get rich, immersive details on selections from over 1,400 of your favorite HBO® shows, including HBO original series, hit movies, sports, comedy and more with HBO GO®.
Univision
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/5c/4b/5c4b6364-463b-4a5a-8dc6-ed7a0c0b7607.jpg?n=mod2-Univision_455x256.jpg)QuoteThe UVideos SmartGlass social experience will allow users to sync with their favorite shows to discover exclusive content, join spoiler-free Social TV conversations about Univision programs with other fans and Hispanic America’s biggest stars, and share videos via Facebook and Twitter.
Halo Waypoint
(http://compass.xboxlive.com/assets/2b/1b/2b1bb925-80ad-4d40-ae36-af90a28be2ea.jpg?n=mod2-halo_455x256.jpg)QuoteStats is the perfect complement to your Halo 4 experience with new features that track your entire Halo 4 Career, connect you with friends and keep you current on all the latest Halo 4 news.
The problem with smart glass is that you can't use it to play Halo 4. You still have to use a regular controller because of the lack of buttons, joysticks and most importantly, latency issues. It's neat that you can track things you would normally have to pause and see, but this does not compete with Nintendo (at least not yet).
So is Forza Horizon a simulator in the vein of Gran Turismo and the older Forza games? Or is it more arcadey like Burnout, Midnight Club, or Need for Speed?It's more arcadey. Not totally arcadey like Burnout Paradise, but certainly more so than Forza Motorsport.
...Yes, they've shown that off since before it was called SmartGlass and was going to be anything other then a Kinect Game Addition.
So do you guys think Microsoft will integrate Kinect and SmartGlass together in some way?
I've always wanted a game like Forza or Gran Turismo on a Nintendo platform. Especially now, as I think the GamePad could have a lot of neat applications for one.Isn't Project Cars that game? I assume it is still a thing.
I've always wanted a game like Forza or Gran Turismo on a Nintendo platform. Especially now, as I think the GamePad could have a lot of neat applications for one.Isn't Project Cars that game? I assume it is still a thing.
I've always wanted a game like Forza or Gran Turismo on a Nintendo platform. Especially now, as I think the GamePad could have a lot of neat applications for one.Isn't Project Cars that game? I assume it is still a thing.
It may be, but I don't think they've gone too much in depth into what kind of modes and features it's going to have beyond just the racing.
Why did GT5 take so long to make again?
I think I really want to see crazy arcade open world racing game.
I think it would be nice to have a racing game, focused on getting from point A to point B as fast as you can...and not about laps or anything.
The skill comes from 2 things. Driving well, and mapping out your path well. Mapping out the path can be done one of two ways... first by actually using a Map (for Wii U on the screen...and taking to time to look and Map out a route to take...Or you can try your luck at racing without a route and reading the map on the fly.
This could be a fun game like Crazy Taxi...and you have a large city and you must really know how to go. Add in real time traffic that changes and you have a compelling game.
So microsoft is reportedly working on a surface branded phone next year. Its supposed to be the equilvent of what the nexus line is too android, and what the surface tablet is too windows 8.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204712904578093680117917590.html (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204712904578093680117917590.html)
Now its reported that microsoft is also testing a xbox surface 7 inch tablet.
Its supposed to be a 7inch tablet that's supposed to have a focus on gaming and media and running a version of the windows RT tablet.
http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/11/6/3608432/xbox-surface-xbox-tablet-7-inch (http://mobile.theverge.com/2012/11/6/3608432/xbox-surface-xbox-tablet-7-inch)
(http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1191927/xboxsurface.jpg)
This was also rumored around back with this somwhat dubious spec sheet.
The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken.
Speaking of Kinect, have you seen this new patent regarding it?MS is going the big brother route here it seems. Hopefully they never actually implement this or there will be a huge backlash.
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220120278904%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20120278904&RS=DN/20120278904QuoteThe users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken.
So all you people that like to watch movies with friends or have large families may want to use something other than your Xbox720 w/ Kinect or hope the camera can be disabled.
...I can't find it but I know Kinect has a depth camera that paints people by the distance they are away and I thought it also has a heat sensor in it as well so it can differentiate a person from a mannequin.
I don't envy the guys that have to do the programming for this. To differentiate between a badly dressed authentic user and 2 kids in an overcoat with a life sized picture of your face.
Who knows. Their next version of Kinect may be very accurate, it may even have a chip that translates movement within the unit itself instead of off-loading it to the CPU.MS essentially did with the Kinect what Nintendo was originally planning for the wiimote. It was originally going to be an add on for the GC. Because of a lag issue, they scrapped that idea and made a slightly stronger system that could handle the wiimote and GC level games at the same time with no lag. Kinect has lag problems and a few other problems that a bit more power could possibly solve. I have a feeling the 360's successor will be similar to the Wii U in terms of power but slightly more due to the extra year of development it'll have. The Wii U can run the gamepad and wiimotes together with no problem and the games look better than 360 games. The 720 will be able to run the Kinect 2.0 and smart glass with no problem and have games that look only slightly better than Wii U games.
I don't envy the guys that have to do the programming for this. To differentiate between a badly dressed authentic user and 2 kids in an overcoat with a life sized picture of your face.
Microsoft may be the tech industry’s most dramatic story of 2012. The company has been in a constant state of flux / transition / reinvention /evolution (the proper descriptor depends on whom you ask) and all the fruits of all its labors seemed to have been realized within the span of about two weeks starting late October: an overhauled Windows with a heavy focus on touch-friendly interaction. A first-party flagship tablet (Surface). The departure of the man most responsible for these two projects. A rebooted Windows Phone platform with a trio of major OEMs. A music subscription service poised to take on both Spotify and iTunes. A brand new Halo title spearheaded by a newly-minted, in-house developer.
Yet for all its change this year, there has been one constant: the Xbox 360. Microsoft’s set-top box (née gaming console) launched in 2005 and has served as an anchor for the company’s "big screen" plans ever since. Microsoft has been evolving the "Xbox" brand from something focused on gaming to all entertainment and media content. For many, the console was their first foray into Netflix on TV, and the company has gradually made it a centerpiece of the Microsoft universe.
The KARAOKE Channel, a property of Stingray Music USA Inc., an affiliate of the innovative Montreal-based provider of multi-platform music services Stingray Digital Group Inc., today announced their collaboration on “Karaoke” for Xbox 360, an exciting new entertainment service that will be available for download through Xbox LIVE in time for the holidays.
“As the owner of the world’s largest licensed karaoke library and karaoke service on TV and Internet, the KARAOKE Channel will combine its expertise with the advanced capabilities of the Xbox 360 platform from Microsoft to develop the best in-home karaoke experience ever,” says Eric Boyko, President and CEO of Stingray Digital Group Inc. “Now anyone can access our vast library and sing in a fun and interactive way right from their Xbox.”
“Karaoke” for Xbox 360 is simply fun
“Karaoke” for Xbox 360 is easy to launch and makes it easy to sing. Karaoke fans will sing along to scrolling lyrics on screen while their avatar performs the song on stage with a full complement of stage props, backup band and an adoring audience. The more songs are sung and poses struck, the more moola, props, fans and fun are earned as achievements are awarded.
Songs don’t require downloading; they play immediately via streaming for a robust karaoke experience. To keep the party going, songs can be queued via the top navigation through search, browse or SmartGlass integration, which connects a tablet or mobile device to the Xbox 360 console. Songs can be added to Favorites so they’re super-easy to find, or can be found through the History list to sing them over and over again. Other options include key change and a lead vocal track to help sing less familiar songs. To access all of the features, an Xbox 360 Headset, Xbox Wireless Microphone or an Xbox 360 compatible USB microphone is required.
Available on Xbox LIVE in time for the holidays, “Karaoke” for Xbox 360 will have a selection of free sample songs that will change frequently. Full access to the entire library is available for blocks of 2, 6 or 24 hours by redeeming Microsoft Points. Songs are added to the library on a regular basis as they are produced and licensed, giving everyone a great reason to launch The KARAOKE Channel on Xbox LIVE to discover new songs to sing.
Today, ESPN on Xbox reloaded with a significant update. The app now includes ALL of ESPN’s live network programming through WatchESPN including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, Buzzer Beater and Goal Line. Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers can watch all their favorite sports and shows live, including SportsCenter, SportsNation and the Mike and Mike Show, as well as ESPN’s coverage of the NFL, including Monday Night Football, MLB and the NBA.
ESPN on Xbox, now powered by WatchESPN, offers the following features:
My Sports. ESPN on Xbox allows you to choose your favorite sports and teams and designate these channels as “My Sports,” so you can jump directly into the games and content you care most about. ESPN on Xbox will automatically provide you with a personalized daily feed of live events, news and highlights based on “My Sports,” catching you up on only the teams and sports you care most about. Mini Guide. The mini-guide gives you a preview and quick access to all the sports content you care about right at the bottom of the screen. This fall it is all about football, and now the best fans don’t have to miss anything. Is another game tied up late in the fourth quarter? Instantly switch to that game. Halftime? Play the earlier highlights. Split Screen. Because true sports fans want to watch more than one game at a time, ESPN on Xbox has a split screen, allowing you to watch two events at once. Watch live events on both screens or a live event on one while you catch up on news and highlights on the other. You can even control both screens independently, pausing and rewinding each separately so you never miss a second of the action. Gesture Control and Voice Control with Kinect for Xbox 360. Focus on your team instead of looking for the remote. Navigate through the content guide, skip to the next highlight, or play, pause, and rewind that big play… all with the wave of your hand or the sound of your voice. Reminders. Too many big games to keep track of in your head? Not to worry – ESPN on Xbox now lets you tag games and set reminders so you never miss a moment. Interactive ESPN BottomLine. The ESPN BottomLine keeps you in the know with breaking news and score updates from around the world of sports. Xbox has added interactive functionality that raises the bar for fans everywhere, with live alerts and the capability to jump to different sports or skip to the next story.
Also, beginning in December, Xbox SmartGlass experiences for ESPN, NBA and SportsPicks will be available on the platform. I’ll share details once I have them.
Microsoft has put out a call for staffers with massively multiplayer online game development experience to join 343 Industries to work on future Halo projects. Two job listings at 343 Industries were posted yesterday, both for software development engineers who will work on "building the next generation of backend services to power Halo 4 and our new game saga."Also I was poking around the Microsoft Career's site around the xbox section I found a few things.
These job listings follow additional requisitions posted last week that indicated 343 Industries was staffing up for mystery "incubation projects." A Microsoft representative was not immediately available for comment.
If Microsoft is building a Halo MMO, it will not be the first time the company has done so. The Microsoft-owned (and now defunct) Ensemble Studios spent three years on a Halo MMORPG codenamed Titan that reportedly held a $90 million budget before it was canceled in 2007.
So if Windows 8 games have all these restrictions, what are computer games going to be made for?
So if Windows 8 games have all these restrictions, what are computer games going to be made for?
Microsoft is building an Xbox set-top box. Multiple sources familiar with Redmond's plans have confirmed toThe Vergethat the company plans to introduce a low-cost alternative to its Xbox console, designed to provide access to core entertainment services. The move will allow Microsoft to further increase its presence in the living room, providing consumers with a choice between a set-top box or a full next-generation Xbox console.We're told that the set-top box is part of a two-SKU strategy for Microsoft's next-generation of Xbox hardware (http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/16/3090944/microsoft-xbox-720-kinect-2-kinect-glasses-doc-leak-rumor) that will be unveiled in 2013, with a release date ahead of the holiday shopping season. The device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games typically found on a dedicated console. Although hardware specifications aren't fully locked down, we understand Microsoft will use a chipset to enable an "always on" device that boots quickly and resumes to provide near-instant access to TV and entertainment services.I remember hearing speculation about this kind of model as defense against the Wii U. The break down would be similar tp this
Microsoft's Xbox set-top box work is said to be part of a broader effort to ensure its core architecture for the next-generation Xbox is scalable enough to be put together to runon a number of devices (http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/6/3608432/xbox-surface-xbox-tablet-7-inch). We understand that the company could opt to combine its core system for the next Xbox with a phone stack to deliver a phone capable of running a full version of Microsoft's Xbox Live services. It has also investigated providing this functionality to TV OEMs, who could include the core services as part of a licensed Xbox television set.
Modern PC games take up a lot of resources and they need to take up a sizable portion of the screen to be functional. Think back to all the high end PC games you've played, can you launch in 5 seconds and suspend in 2? Would it still be playable at a very narrow landscape resolution? Can it all be done on a low-powered computer?
Team Fortress 2, The Witcher 1 & 2, League of Legends. The list of all the games that just won't work with these rules is incredibly long. Its no wonder Gabe Newell called it a catastrophe and started working on linux. I can definitely see it stifling innovation.
This is all down to Apple envy. They saw the money Apple were making in the home computer and phone market using their own closed system and wanted to make their own.
Figured you would pull out Toy Soldiers. It is an amusing enough of a game, besides getting a really broken PC release that killed it. It was so broken sound didn't work right which meant the game ran at 10% speed and sounded like a crying baby seal getting club to death from the tail up with the fix being turning off DX sound. It didn't properly support the standard range of resolutions on the PC like 1920x1080, hell it didn't go higher than 8xx.
One of the upgrades to the flame thrower converts it to a chemical weapon, so yeah, it promotes human rights violations and war crimes on toys. They die awfully human looking though.
There are plenty of other ways you can interpret the rules so it would ban almost any game. The above is is just the first one that came to mind. Use your imagination and you can find quite a few more. You don't even have to be that creative about it.
or give the consumers a nice unified experience since more people are likely to use windows store than say steam (the average user) and no one gives a flying **** about linux on a consumer level. Also while it is part apple evny, it should be noted that apple makes next to nothing on itunes , or the app store they just get people into using the ecosystem which is what microsoft currently wants and is doing a pretty good job of building.Microsoft have been really good at unifying things with DirectX, before that getting PC games to work with your hardware setup wasn't an easy task for both consumer and developer. This time around I think they've tightened things too much.
So far they are walking a fine line between apple and android on how they do things.
I think that's the point. Apps are suppose to work in the pure Metro experience AKA the Phone Experience. The heavy lifters are suppose to stay on the desktop side. Not a good call but one MS seems to be making.or give the consumers a nice unified experience since more people are likely to use windows store than say steam (the average user) and no one gives a flying **** about linux on a consumer level. Also while it is part apple evny, it should be noted that apple makes next to nothing on itunes , or the app store they just get people into using the ecosystem which is what microsoft currently wants and is doing a pretty good job of building.Microsoft have been really good at unifying things with DirectX, before that getting PC games to work with your hardware setup wasn't an easy task for both consumer and developer. This time around I think they've tightened things too much.
So far they are walking a fine line between apple and android on how they do things.
I also agree that DirectX (in specific the Hardware portion of the standard) was a Great help to the PC gaming industry. It could be such a pain back in the day.
With their app rules even Photoshop can't be certified. I doubt even Microsoft's own development software Visual Studio will work under those rules.
This MicroSoft business only feeds the feeling that I have that the next gen is really going to go off the rails. How easy is it going to be to communicate to consumers that the set-top box has a Kinect 2.0 and plays some, but not all, Xbox video games?They will definitely have a challenge when it comes to consumer awareness. They can simply remove the disc drive on the basic model and include a hard drive so that you can only download specific games from the online store. I'm sure their commercials will be all razzle dazzle, showing how easy and fun it is to use this magical Kinect device.
This MicroSoft business only feeds the feeling that I have that the next gen is really going to go off the rails. How easy is it going to be to communicate to consumers that the set-top box has a Kinect 2.0 and plays some, but not all, Xbox video games?
Combined with the generally lukewarm WiiU reception in the press (and pretty strong confirmation that it's going to be quite far behind the Orbis and Durango techwise), plus the sorry state of the Sony corporation, it's making me question if consoles need to exist. With all this convergence toward media capability (dependent upon third-party subscriptions) and cloud services, I'm thinking it would make more sense for something like the mythical Steambox to take precedence. Required minimum specs on any computer device that run whatever games are on the service. Nintendo and Sony would make their money on the software. MicroSoft would do whatever, maybe push Smartglass features. The WiiU Gamepad would be a competing peripheral. I guess I'm just not seeing what the advantages of proprietary consoles are in this day and age. I am not at all a PC gaming enthusiast, but this console arms race is getting Kafkaesque, or probably more accurately, Seussian.
The Verge have reported (http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/21/3674802/xbox-tv-set-top-box-casual-gaming-streaming-2013) that Microsoft's new machine will come in 2 SKUs. One that's stripped down and its for TV viewing and casual games (probably drastically reduced specs) and the other would be for the core gaming crowd. Both will have a new Kinect. Due for Christmas 2013.
This would solve a lot of the problems I've been thinking about with their strategy this generation. Microsoft wants everyone to use their Kinect interface with TV and other services but not everyone wants to play AAA games on them and can't justify the cost of such an expensive box.
Having 2 significantly different SKUs would certainly help. However they still have the problem where they are competing with their partnered content providers and to even access them you need to be on XBL Gold.
I read some comments on a few sites and found it funny how people are saying only Sony can save the next generation now. They're going to be so disappointed when they see the hot/cold wands.
Black Tusk Studios is dedicated to creating immersive, AAA games that push the limits of Microsoft's entertainment platforms. Located in downtown Vancouver, Canada, we are part of the Microsoft Studios family, and weare growing. Do you have what it takes to keep pace with the best talent in the industry? Do you want to help define Microsoft'snext big entertainment franchise? Let's talk.
Black Tusk has assembled a team of seasoned game industry veterans who are united in their passion to create emotionally engaging AAA gaming experiences.
We hire the best talent from Vancouver and around the world, and our global recruiting effort is reflected in the diversity of cultures and backgrounds on our team.
Our people are talented, creative, fun-loving professionals with a desire to be part of something big. Something really big.
While console video game companies have been shutting their Vancouver studios, a handful of Microsoft game developers have been quietly building a presence in Yaletown.
Today they are taking the wraps off the venture, which started with five people and grew to 55 before getting the official go-ahead from Microsoft’s head office to launch as a separate game studio, Black Tusk.
“It is a good news story for us,” said studio manager Mike Crump. “We’re excited about the opportunities here, we think Vancouver has a bright future.”
The launch should also spell good news forjobseekers in Vancouver’s hard-hit console video gamesector. Thedivision’s website, blacktuskstudios.com, includes job listings for everyone from engineers to designers, and Black Tusk plans to double its numbers within a year.
“We are actively recruiting,” said Crump, who added the studio has outgrown its Cambie Street location and will be moving to take over two floors on Beatty Street, where Microsoft’s Big Park studio is located.
Black Tusk had its start when Crump and four others, all alumni of Electronic Arts, took over a floor at Microsoft’s Cambie Street location about a year ago and started planning for the studio, which will focus on the Xbox 360 video game console.
Studio staff have an average of 12 years experience in triple-A games, the industry’s equivalent of Hollywood summer blockbuster movies — “big games, big teams, big budgets, long timelines,” said Crump.
“What that means is we are working on Microsoft’s next big entertainment franchise,” he said. “We’re not working on an existing franchise, we’re looking to build the next Halo here in Vancouver, for example, which is really exciting. We are building something from the ground up.”
The launch comes only a few months after Microsoft halted development of two games — Microsoft Flight and Project Columbia, a move that came shortly after announcements by Rockstar Vancouver and Radical Entertainment that they were closing their Vancouver operations.
Crump said the Black Tusk group wanted to operate in stealth mode until it recruited enough talent to reach critical mass and got the go-ahead from Microsoft head office.
“We have been officially green-lit by Microsoft executives to go ahead with the project that we’re on,” he said.
“That’s the way game development works — it’s just like making a movie, you go through pitching and concepting and then at some point you have a very large meeting with the executive team and present your full pitch with the business plan and you get the green light, so that’s happened for us.”
Crump said Vancouver’s proximity to Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, headquarters is a factor but it is not the only attraction.
“First and foremost is its heritage, there is a history of gaming in Vancouver that goes back decades and what that has left us with is a pool of talent that is really unparalleled, I think, most anywhere in the world,” said Crump.
“And the last piece of it is — the reason we really believe in Vancouver is it’s such a great place to live that when we are going out and we’re recruiting, whether it’s California or Frankfurt, it is never a tough sell to convince somebody to move to Vancouver.”
Named for the iconic pinnacle between Vancouver and Whistler that attracts hikers, the studio is opening at a time when several video game companies have headed east to take advantage of more favourable tax credits in Toronto.
While Crump said he can’t comment on what other companies in the sector are doing, he noted that Microsoft has all its Canadian gaming studios in B.C.
“Tax credits, for sure, are a challenge here in Vancouver,” said Crump. “But Microsoft’s commitment to Vancouver goes way beyond tax credits.
“Microsoft has opened two studios in the Vancouver/ Victoria region this year and now there is investment in Black Tusk here in Vancouver, so there is a deep commitment to Vancouver and a belief in the potential of this region, what it can be in this space.”
I hate on Microsoft because I was an OS/2 user and I'm still angry about how Microsoft screwed IBM.
You might now OS/2 was an operating system that IBM and Microsoft were working on together. With a lot of the Co-Developed tech being a core part of the Windows NT Kernel which is the base of Windows NT - XP.I hate on Microsoft because I was an OS/2 user and I'm still angry about how Microsoft screwed IBM.
I meant on the gaming front.
WHAT did microsoft do to IBM and what's os/2? I thought O2 was a britsh telephone carrier.
Splitting the hardcore and casual SKUs to the extent they seem to be indicating seems like a horrible idea. It segments the user base, and limits your potential sales for games limited to the hardcore one. The whole advantage of a dedicated game console is having one standard hardware configuration to work for, and doing it this way unnecessarily complicates that.
Also, I doubt they'll call it the Xbox Infinity because it screws up the naming for their following console. How do you follow up a console named Infinity? Xbox Infinity Plus One?
It's all about Balance.
You can have the fastest most powerful CPU in the world tucked into your system, but if the rest of the system isn't able to keep up with it, then it's all for nothing.
If the CPU is sitting around waiting on the GPU and the RAM, then those are clock cycles that were already paid for that have gone to waste. A more affordable CPU that is in lock-step with the rest of the system is more efficient in everyway.
You wouldn't put a ferrari engine in a go-cart.
Also, I doubt they'll call it the Xbox Infinity because it screws up the naming for their following console. How do you follow up a console named Infinity? Xbox Infinity Plus One?
Any reason why Yahoo one of the most on the brink companies writes dooms articles on the big 3. They wrote an article saying microsoft couldn't afford to invest in xbox any more due to the xbox divsion being poor.
Harrison outlined the new Microsoft Studios developers in Europe as it stands now: Rare, Lionhead, Soho Productions, Press Play, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and now Lift London.
Harrison said Microsoft is building an external development organisation to extend the reach of its developer relationships in the UK and across Europe. This will manage and support production outside of Microsoft with a raft of companies.
"The key thread that runs thorugh this and our future is the shift from packaged products to connected entertainment services," Harrison said. "That is the thread you will see us develop over the coming years. It's not a change we're going to make immediately. We will continue to support retail products with our key releases for sure.
"But everything we do will have increasingly deep social and additional features that are reliant on the network, that are unlocked by the network and enhanced by the network through Xbox Live and beyond. That's the key strategic shift we're making with our business, moving from being a maker of packaged products to being an operator of connected services.
"You will see that in the people we hire, the companies we partner with and the business models we develop and the creative expression we bring to life on all of these platforms."
...Just want to mention that Microsoft is on the record of saying they purposely left some of those features out simply to allow their Partners to fill those niches.
Visual Studio is workable but really gimped unless using third-party solutions such as Refactor
...
AMD has filed (and been granted) a request for immediate injunctive relief against multiple former employees that it alleges stole thousands of confidential documents. Named in the complaint are Robert Feldstein, Manoo Desai, Nicholas Kociuk, and Richard Hagen. All four left AMD to work at Nvidia in the past year. The loss of Feldstein was particularly noteworthy, as he’d been the head of AMD’s console initiatives for years. Feldstein was behind the work that landed AMD the Wii U, PS4, and Xbox Durango.
[...]
Furthermore, the company states that it has evidence that Hagen and Feldstein directly recruited Desai and Kociuk as well as attempted to solicit other employees from AMD. It then details the contents of specific folders and emails that were apparently transferred to external storage, and the list is pretty damning. Desai and Kociuk discussed how to eliminate evidence of transfer from their AMD systems. The named defendants ran Google searches for how to copy and delete large numbers of documents. Over 150,000 documents related to AMD desktop and laptop design were transferred before Kociuk turned in his resignation to AMD.
Truth to the Durango & PS4 rumors!?Probably not but I wonder how they were being mistreated for them to attempt that.
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/145830-industrial-espionage-amd-files-suit-against-former-employees-for-alleged-document-theft
4 ex-AMD employees, who all work for Nvidia now have become the industries 4 Dumbest CriminalsQuoteAMD has filed (and been granted) a request for immediate injunctive relief against multiple former employees that it alleges stole thousands of confidential documents. Named in the complaint are Robert Feldstein, Manoo Desai, Nicholas Kociuk, and Richard Hagen. All four left AMD to work at Nvidia in the past year. The loss of Feldstein was particularly noteworthy, as he’d been the head of AMD’s console initiatives for years. Feldstein was behind the work that landed AMD the Wii U, PS4, and Xbox Durango.
[...]
Furthermore, the company states that it has evidence that Hagen and Feldstein directly recruited Desai and Kociuk as well as attempted to solicit other employees from AMD. It then details the contents of specific folders and emails that were apparently transferred to external storage, and the list is pretty damning. Desai and Kociuk discussed how to eliminate evidence of transfer from their AMD systems. The named defendants ran Google searches for how to copy and delete large numbers of documents. Over 150,000 documents related to AMD desktop and laptop design were transferred before Kociuk turned in his resignation to AMD.
anyone think Nvidia will take some heat for this?
You don't think Nvidia will take heat for soliciting employees who then conspired to steal confidential information to bring with them, but we're also stupid enough to talk about it in company monitored emails?With the Skillset these people have NVidia is the only other game in town. I doubt they even had to recruit them if they had that much disregard in the end.
Who knows what other stupid stuff they were talking about in those emails.
Could be a case for corporate espionage.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/386816/next-gen-xbox-motion-control-kits-in-circulation/ (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/386816/next-gen-xbox-motion-control-kits-in-circulation/)
According to a games developer familiar with the situation, Microsoft has already briefed a number of studios on the next phase in its motion control initiative. Future Xbox plans are so tightly guarded, however, that the source has not seen the development kits in person.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/386889/microsoft-to-replace-xbox-live-voice-chat-with-skype/ (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/386889/microsoft-to-replace-xbox-live-voice-chat-with-skype/)
A person familiar with the matter said Microsoft will be "consolidating all their communications technology" around the Skype platform. This means that Skype will become the default chat service on the next generation Xbox console as well as on PC and tablets, the person said.
He added: "You might jump to the conclusion that we'll see asynchronous voice and video messages in next-gen Xbox Live".
Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype in 2011 (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/300724/microsoft-buys-skype-bringing-service-to-xbox-360-kinect/) was marked as the software giant's largest ever acquisition in its forty year history. The corporation has since opened its own Skype division within Microsoft, headed up by Skype's former Chief executive Tony Bates.
In November, Microsoft announced it was preparing to close (http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/rumor-microsoft-retiring-messenger-moving-users-to-skype-1110200) its instant message chat service MSN and replace it with Skype's messaging tool.
A recent job advertisement revealed Microsoft was seeking a user interface designer (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/359663/kinect-2-ms-hiring-for-next-gen-natural-user-interface-development/) for the "next gen Xbox". The job location was said to be at Microsoft's UK-based Skype offices.
"The team you'll join is responsible for Skype in the living room (broadly the home), across various devices but with a focus on the large screen and the next generation of Xbox," the job ad reads. (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/362230/next-gen-xbox-to-support-skype-microsoft-job-ad/)
http://playxbla.com/wsop/ (http://playxbla.com/wsop/)
(http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BOXART.jpg)
Today Microsoft Studios announced the most visually stunning digital poker game on the market—”World Series of Poker®: Full House Pro.” Coming Spring 2013 and available on Xbox 360 and Windows 8, “World Series of Poker: Full House Pro” takes the Xbox LIVE Arcade hit “Full House Poker,” to a whole new level. Poker players can build their bankrolls as they compete against opponents from around the world while personalizing their experience with flashy avatar accessories, amazing chip tricks, and real-world casinos.
”World Series of Poker: Full House Pro” is true to the WSOP brand, giving players the authenticity of a live WSOP event, delivering the most realistic poker experience possible to TVs and Windows 8 devices around the world. Gameplay features include:
> Free-to-Play—Jump in and play with real competitors any time, day or night. Don’t worry about losing your chips either, because each day you will receive a free stack of chips to kick start your climb up the leaderboard where you can challenge players at any level you wish.
> With a constant stream of updates and new content, there will always be a reason to come back and see what’s new.
> Pick up and play across Xbox 360 and Windows 8 platforms. This means you can resume your game anytime, anywhere.
> Variety of Game Modes – From single-player mode, to single-table games and full-blown tournaments, you never need to worry about finding a game that suits your style.
> World Series of Poker on ESPN announcers Lon McEachern and Norman Chad provide commentary during play, giving gamers the authenticity as if they were on ESPN playing in the WSOP.
> Delve into the single-player game and learn the ropes before jumping online to test your mettle with specialty games including eight head-to-head Pro Takedowns, and an All-in Pro Takedown Tournament.
It says in the quoted portion of the story that they were solicited though, so it would only be a matter of proving a connection between recruitment and the theft.Hagen and Feldstein went on their own is how I read that and then recruited the other one.
And I didn't read the whole story, so I don't know if they point out what else was stated in their bone headed emails and Google searches.
Developer sources, speaking after meetings at CES, have told VG247 that the next PlayStation, codenamed Orbis, will have a run-capability of 1.84 teraflops. Conversely, the next Xbox, codenamed Durango, will be able to achieve 1.23 teraflops.
If true, these numbers mean PlayStation 4 will have a 33% raw, computational power advantage over Xbox 720.
While PS4 will have greater grunt that 720, however, the Microsoft machine has significantly more RAM at 8Gb, we’ve been told. Our source said that 3Gb is reserved for the OS, apps and security, leaving 4-5Gb for games.
Orbis will have 4Gb of RAM, said our source, of which 1Gb will be reserved for for OS, security and apps, leaving some 3Gb for games.
Both machines will supposedly have have the ability to read 100Gb Blu-ray discs.[/quote[
Another website Now gamer is reporting the opposite though. Both seem to agree that info from closed doors meeting at ces about both console are about to leak.
Aaaaaaaand I have to question just why do these machines need that much power? Sheesh. I mean, unless Pixar is planning on jumping into game development, then I don't see the need for game consoles that push that much power.Because they can and need to vastly overcome what mobile devices will be able to do.
The extra RAM will mean nothing for games. The only reason they want the extra ram is so they can have the console play a game, a movie and a Skype call all at the same time without lag. Of course, the extra power in the Orbis will mean nothing because companies will want to make the cheapest cross platform games possible so they will go with lowest common denominators which means the lower ram and the lower power.
Today, NHL GameCenter will launch on Xbox LIVE* around the globe, giving Gold subscribers access to their favorite NHL hockey action right from their Xbox and just in time for the 2013 season to take center ice.
NHL GameCenter for Xbox 360 brings you live games, replays, classic games, and videos from NHL VideoCenter, plus controller-free entertainment with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360.
NHL GameCenter on Xbox LIVE offers the following features:
Follow the Action from the 2013 NHL Season – Get real-time game scores, player stats and team standings. All Xbox LIVE Gold Members can also follow the action on and off the ice from the NHL VideoCenterTM. Watch the best goals, saves and hits from around the league this season.
Live Games and Replays with NHL Game Center LIVE – With your NHL GameCenter LIVE™ subscription ($49.99 USD for the 2012-13 season), watch live, out-of-market games from the NHL regular season. Miss a game? Watch full-length archived games or condensed replays from this season and last.
Every game with an HD-Quality Picture – NHL GameCenter delivers every game in a beautiful, HD-quality picture, and each broadcast gives every fan the option of the Home or Away audio feed. With NHL GameCenter on Xbox 360, you will feel like your team is the home team.
Keep Up With Your Favorite Teams – NHL GameCenter on Xbox 360 lets you personalize the experience to get to the information you care about most. Select up to five teams to follow so you can be sure not to miss a beat on your favorite teams and players. Get the scores, player stats, schedule and live games, right at your fingertips.
Season Central – A quick calendar view of the league schedule or just your favorite teams is a click away. Season Central is the best way to find out what games are on today, this week, or next month.
Mini Guide – The Mini Guide gives you a quick preview of all of today’s action right at the bottom of your screen, and makes it easier than ever to switch between games.
Split Screen – Keep an eye on the rest of the league while cheering on your home team! With Split Screen, you can watch two games at once and do just that. Watch live games on both screens or a live game on one while you catch up with a game recap on the other. You can control both screens independently, pausing and rewinding each separately so you never miss a second of the action.
Classic Games from NHL Vault™ –Relive your favorite moments in NHL history with on-demand access to over 800 classic games from NHL Vault™. Watch some of the best Original Six battles from the 1960s or re-watch the best games from the Stanley Cup® Playoffs through the years. You now have the best way to watch these games on your big screen with Xbox 360.
Voice and Gesture Control with Kinect for Xbox 360 – Focus on the puck instead of looking for the remote. Navigate through Season Central, or play, pause, and rewind that behind-the-back goal, all with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360.
Halo 4” Spartan Ops: Season One Returns with All New Episodes Starting Jan. 21
One of the most awarded titles of 2012 kicks off the New Year with five weeks of brand-new Spartan Ops episodes, starting Jan. 21
“Halo 4” launched worldwide in November 2012, quickly becoming the fastest-selling “Halo” title ever released on the Xbox 360, and the action will continue in 2013 with brand new content. Today Microsoft and 343 Industries announced the return of Spartan Ops: Season One, which includes five weeks of brand-new content – from Jan. 21 through Feb. 24 – returning players to the episodic adventure that tells the continuing story of the UNSC Infinity.
Reenlist with Fireteam Crimson as they search for Spartan Thorne on planet Requiem and come face-to-face with the threat of Jul ‘Mdama and his cult of Covenant separatists. The intensity of Season One builds to its thrilling conclusion in Episodes 6-10 as the battle moves beyond Requiem to a wide variety of locations featuring epic vehicular combat and on-foot encounters with Prometheans and Covenant forces.
Each week in “Halo 4,” experience a new high-quality cinematic episode, and fight alongside friends in five action-packed playable chapters through Feb. 24. Continuing the story following the events of “Halo 4,” access to Spartan Ops is included with “Halo 4” at no additional charge — effectively delivering two campaign experiences in one game.1
The first half of Spartan Ops: Season One (Episodes 1-5) is available for play at any time in “Halo 4” for those beginning their Spartan careers. Get introduced to Captain Lasky, Commander Palmer and Fireteam Majestic as they continue to explore the mysterious of the Forerunner planet of Requiem. For more information on the continuing season of Spartan Ops, including weekly tune-in trailers as well as exclusive content, visit www.halowaypoint.com.
As we promised during the weekend in the next weeks we will unveil Durango and Orbis. All the technical info you want to know about the next generation machines from Sony and Microsoft.
The first one is Durango. In this article we present the system overview with the general components and some technical details about them.
How are durango components connected?
Here you can see the Durango system block diagram:
Durango Arquitecture
Let’s check what’s inside the box:
CPU:
- x64 Architecture
- 8 CPU cores running at 1.6 gigahertz (GHz)
- each CPU thread has its own 32 KB L1 instruction cache and 32 KB L1 data cache
- each module of four CPU cores has a 2 MB L2 cache resulting in a total of 4 MB of L2 cache
- each core has one fully independent hardware thread with no shared execution resources
- each hardware thread can issue two instructions per clock
GPU:
- custom D3D11.1 class 800-MHz graphics processor
- 12 shader cores providing a total of 768 threads
- each thread can perform one scalar multiplication and addition operation (MADD) per clock cycle
- at peak performance, the GPU can effectively issue 1.2 trillion floating-point operations per second
High-fidelity Natural User Interface (NUI) sensor is always present
Storage and Memory:
- 8 gigabyte (GB) of RAM DDR3 (68 GB/s)
- 32 MB of fast embedded SRAM (ESRAM) (102 GB/s)
- from the GPU’s perspective the bandwidths of system memory and ESRAM are parallel providing combined peak bandwidth of 170 GB/sec.
- Hard drive is always present
- 50 GB 6x Blu-ray Disc drive
Networking:
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct
Hardware Accelerators:
- Move engines
- Image, video, and audio codecs
- Kinect multichannel echo cancellation (MEC) hardware
- Cryptography engines for encryption and decryption, and hashing
I wonder how much of the extra power is going to the Kinect. I remember the old Kinect being more sensitive than previously thought when people toyed around with it on better hardware. And with a better Kinect, maybe even more power than that?In the old kinect I'm fairly sure it did a lot of the processing on Hardware but due to cost that had to be moved to software. I'm sure the new one will do it by Hardware again which means by default it be more powerful.
Big News.
I'm working at Microsoft as of Summer.
Xbox to be specific.
It’s true. I’m going to go work for Microsoft. When my Microsoft rebranding project went viral, I frequently got asked if I was approached by them. "Yes" is the short answer but this relationship has actually been going on for nearly 6 months.
This was a difficult choice to make. I was approached by countless companies with offers, ranging from electronics manufacturers to ad agencies. Some of the companies that approached were the makers of my favorite products ever. I am even a “fanboy” of some of them. But when it came time to make my final decision, I wanted to work at a place I can really get excited about. Working at a company is like getting married, it becomes a fundamental part of your life. I want to work with awesome people on awesome projects that I can get excited about. If you’ve been watching Microsoft over the past year, it’s been exciting, regardless of what your ecosystem preference is.
I can’t talk about the details of how things fell into place but the choice became obvious. I'll be designing for Microsoft as of summer. I promise that I’ll make the my greatest work ever while I'm there.
I want to thank every reader of Minimally Minimal for the support so far. Without you, I would have never been able to get to where I am. You have been the wind beneath my wings, my catalyst, my mentor. I hope you’ve been able to see me grow since 2009, the beginning of this blog, and continue to see my work develop in the future. I still have my final semester of school left, and MM is only 3 years old. Don’t take this as the end of me as a curious designer, it’s only the beginning.
Always looking forward,
Andrew
I want to make it clear that MM has no plans of closing. I’ll continue to share my thoughts with you. The details of what I can/can’t post is still in discussion but this will always be a blog about my honest opinions on subjects I care about.
Also Remember my secret collaboration project with Microsoft in 2012? (http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/some-updates)Well, the IP is being acquired by Microsoft so it will have to stay confidential. I know that many people were looking forward to seeing it so I’m sorry to say that it’ll have to be tucked away for now.
Sure. It was reiterated to me that MS was fully behind doing everything the same like they did in the first few years of the Xbox 360 and that MS knows that is what got them a good deal of backing when the system first came out. That is the 4th or 5th time I was informed that.
I was told there is a very even split between new IP's and faithful IP's. And 3-4 big surprises.
Also it sems that microsoft has a new studio in development that will be based in Richmond, VA. If you serch all on the job listing in Microsoft studios you can find a job posting for a Narative drsigner.
http://www.microsoft-careers.com/job/Richmond-Narrative-Designer-IEB-Microsoft-Studios-%28824217%29-Job-VA-23173/2389695[/url]
Microsoft Windows logo just keeps degrading with each iteration...Microsoft tried to be more Apple like with the US flash with Windows 7. Had a pretty large backlash from it so they decided to go the simple everything could do it UI for Win8.
I like the new logo its nice and minimal and says a lot about their main consumer products.You wanna fix that?
Orange = office 365
...
Orange = Windows Phone
United States Patent Application 20130027296
Kind Code A1
Klein; Christian ; et al. January 31, 2013
COMPOUND GESTURE-SPEECH COMMANDS
Originally Posted by Rösti:
Abstract
A multimedia entertainment system combines both gestures and voice commands to provide an enhanced control scheme. A user's body position or motion may be recognized as a gesture, and may be used to provide context to recognize user generated sounds, such as speech input. Likewise, speech input may be recognized as a voice command, and may be used to provide context to recognize a body position or motion as a gesture. Weights may be assigned to the inputs to facilitate processing. When a gesture is recognized, a limited set of voice commands associated with the recognized gesture are loaded for use. Further, additional sets of voice commands may be structured in a hierarchical manner such that speaking a voice command from one set of voice commands leads to the system loading a next set of voice commands.
Inventors: Klein; Christian; (Duvall, WA) ; Vassigh; Ali M.; (Redmond, WA) ; Flaks; Jason S.; (Bellevue, WA) ; Larco; Vanessa; (Kirkland, WA) ; Soemo; Thomas M.; (Redmond, WA)
Assignee: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Redmond
WA
Serial No.: 646692
Series Code: 13
Filed: October 6, 2012
Originally Posted by Rösti:
Claims
1. A method for controlling a computing system using a voice commands, comprising: accessing multiple depth images from a depth sensor system; recognizing a gesture from the multiple depth images; in response to recognizing a gesture, choosing a subset of a set of sound commands based on the recognized gesture, the set of sound commands includes multiple subsets, each subset is associated with one or more gestures and sound command recognition data for the respective subset; receiving sound input; recognizing a sound command from the chosen subset based on the sound input; and performing an action in response to the recognized sound command.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein: the depth images include a two-dimensional pixel area of a captured scene, each pixel in the two-dimensional pixel area represents a depth value of one or more objects in the scene captured by the depth sensor system; the method further comprises displaying the chosen subset of sound commands in response to the recognizing the gesture; the sound input is received after displaying the chosen subset of sound commands; and the recognizing includes attempting to match the sound input to sound commands in the chosen subset and not to sound commands in other subsets of the set of sound commands.
12. A computing system, comprising: a monitor for displaying multimedia content; a depth sensor for capturing depth images; a microphone for capturing sounds; and a processor in communication with the depth sensor, the microphone and the monitor; the processor communicates with the monitor to display an object, the processor receives multiple depth images from the depth sensor and recognizes a gesture from the multiple depth images, the processor chooses a subset of a set of sound commands based on and in response to the recognized gesture, the set of sound commands includes multiple subsets, the processor loads sound command recognition data for the chosen subset of sound commands in response to the recognized gesture, the processor receives sound input from the microphone and recognizes a sound command from the chosen subset based on the sound input and the loaded sound command recognition data without searching all of the set of sound commands, processor performs an action in response to the recognized sound command.
Originally Posted by Rösti:
Detailed description:
[0064] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the controller 12 shown in FIG. 1 implemented as a multimedia console 100, such as a gaming console. The multimedia console 100 has a central processing unit (CPU) 101 having a level 1 cache 102, a level 2 cache 104, and a flash ROM (Read Only Memory) 106. The level 1 cache 102 and a level 2 cache 104 temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memory access cycles, thereby improving processing speed and throughput. The CPU 101 may be provided having more than one core, and thus, additional level 1 and level 2 caches 102 and 104. The flash ROM 106 may store executable code that is loaded during an initial phase of a boot process when the multimedia console 100 is powered on.
[0065] A graphics processing unit (GPU) 108 and a video encoder/video codec (coder/decoder) 114 form a video processing pipeline for high speed and high resolution graphics processing. Data is carried from the graphics processing unit 108 to the video encoder/video codec 114 via a bus. The video processing pipeline outputs data to an A/V (audio/video) port 140 for transmission to a television or other display. A memory controller 110 is connected to the GPU 108 to facilitate processor access to various types of memory 112, such as, but not limited to, a RAM (Random Access Memory).
[0066] The multimedia console 100 includes an I/0 controller 120, a system management controller 122, an audio processing unit 123, a network interface controller 124, a first USB host controller 126, a second USB controller 128 and a front panel I/O subassembly 130 that are preferably implemented on a module 118. The USB controllers 126 and 128 serve as hosts for peripheral controllers 142(1)-142(2), a wireless adapter 148, and an external memory device 146 (e.g., flash memory, external CD/DVD ROM drive, removable media, etc.). The network interface 124 and/or wireless adapter 148 provide access to a network (e.g., the Internet, home network, etc.) and may be any of a wide variety of various wired or wireless adapter components including an Ethernet card, a modem, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem, and the like.
[0067] System memory 143 is provided to store application data that is loaded during the boot process. A media drive 144 is provided and may comprise a DVD/CD drive, Blu-Ray drive, hard disk drive, or other removable media drive, etc. The media drive 144 may be internal or external to the multimedia console 100. Application data may be accessed via the media drive 144 for execution, playback, etc. by the multimedia console 100. The media drive 144 is connected to the I/O controller 120 via a bus, such as a Serial ATA bus or other high speed connection (e.g., IEEE 1394).
[0068] The system management controller 122 provides a variety of service functions related to assuring availability of the multimedia console 100. The audio processing unit 123 and an audio codec 132 form a corresponding audio processing pipeline with high fidelity and stereo processing. Audio data is carried between the audio processing unit 123 and the audio codec 132 via a communication link. The audio processing pipeline outputs data to the A/V port 140 for reproduction by an external audio user or device having audio capabilities.
[0069] The front panel I/O subassembly 130 supports the functionality of the power button 150 and the eject button 152, as well as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the multimedia console 100. A system power supply module 136 provides power to the components of the multimedia console 100. A fan 138 cools the circuitry within the multimedia console 100.
[0070] The CPU 101, GPU 108, memory controller 110, and various other components within the multimedia console 100 are interconnected via one or more buses, including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus, PCI-Express bus, etc.
[0071] When the multimedia console 100 is powered on, application data may be loaded from the system memory 143 into memory 112 and/or caches 102, 104 and executed on the CPU 101. The application may present a graphical user interface that provides a consistent user experience when navigating to different media types available on the multimedia console 100. In operation, applications and/or other media contained within the media drive 144 may be launched or played from the media drive 144 to provide additional functionalities to the multimedia console 100.
[0072] The multimedia console 100 may be operated as a standalone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display. In this standalone mode, the multimedia console 100 allows one or more users to interact with the system, watch movies, or listen to music. However, with the integration of broadband connectivity made available through the network interface 124 or the wireless adapter 148, the multimedia console 100 may further be operated as a participant in a larger network community.
[0073] When the multimedia console 100 is powered ON, a set amount of hardware resources are reserved for system use by the multimedia console operating system. These resources may include a reservation of memory (e.g., 16 MB), CPU and GPU cycles (e.g., 5%), networking bandwidth (e.g., 8 kbs), etc. Because these resources are reserved at system boot time, the reserved resources do not exist from the application's view.
[0074] In particular, the memory reservation preferably is large enough to contain the launch kernel, concurrent system applications and drivers. The CPU reservation is preferably constant such that if the reserved CPU usage is not used by the system applications, an idle thread will consume any unused cycles.
[0075] With regard to the GPU reservation, lightweight messages generated by the system applications (e.g., pop ups) are displayed by using a GPU interrupt to schedule code to render popup into an overlay. The amount of memory required for an overlay depends on the overlay area size and the overlay preferably scales with screen resolution. Where a full user interface is used by the concurrent system application, it is preferable to use a resolution independent of application resolution. A scaler may be used to set this resolution such that the need to change frequency and cause a TV resynch is eliminated.
[0076] After the multimedia console 100 boots and system resources are reserved, concurrent system applications execute to provide system functionalities. The system functionalities are encapsulated in a set of system applications that execute within the reserved system resources described above. The operating system kernel identifies threads that are system application threads versus gaming application threads. The system applications are preferably scheduled to run on the CPU 101 at predetermined times and intervals in order to provide a consistent system resource view to the application. The scheduling is to minimize cache disruption for the gaming application running on the console.
[0077] When a concurrent system application requires audio, audio processing is scheduled asynchronously to the gaming application due to time sensitivity. A multimedia console application manager (described below) controls the gaming application audio level (e.g., mute, attenuate) when system applications are active.
[0078] Input devices (e.g., controllers 142(1) and 142(2)) are shared by gaming applications and system applications. The input devices are not reserved resources, but are to be switched between system applications and the gaming application such that each will have a focus of the device. The application manager preferably controls the switching of input stream, without knowledge the gaming application's knowledge and a driver maintains state information regarding focus switches. For example, the cameras 26, 28 and capture device 20 may define additional input devices for the console 100 via USB controller 126 or other interface.
The bolded segments are what I find most interesting here. Especially the audio processing unit (which I assume is not that of Xbox 360's hardware accelerated audio decompression). 0073 is bolded just for reference since it's a rather obvious thing for most (all?) operating systems.
And lastly, the images, with description first. Note that many of these are just flowcharts of Kinect operations, but hardware is described here as well, note for example the appearance of the camera.
Originally Posted by Rösti:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a user in an exemplary multimedia environment having a capture device for capturing and tracking user body positions and movements and receiving user sound commands.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a capture device coupled to a computing device.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a skeleton being tracked.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computing system for processing data received from a capture device.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of a computing system for processing data received from a capture device.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flow chart describing one embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using voice commands.
[0015] FIG. 7A is a flow chart describing one embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using hand gestures and voice commands.
[0016] FIG. 7B is a flow chart describing further steps in addition to those shown in FIG. 7A for user interaction with a computing system using hand gestures and voice commands.
[0017] FIGS. 7C-7D are flow charts describing additional details for recognizing hand gestures in the process shown in FIG. 7A.
[0018] FIG. 7E is a flow chart describing additional details for recognizing voice commands in the process shown in FIG. 7A.
[0019] FIG. 8A is a flow chart describing an alternative embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using hand gestures and voice commands.
[0020] FIG. 8B is a flow chart describing one option for correlating a gesture with a voice command in accord with FIG. 8A.
[0021] FIG. 8C is a flow chart describing another option for correlating a gesture with a voice command in accord with FIG. 8A.
[0022] FIG. 8D is a flow chart describing another option for correlating a gesture with a voice command in accord with FIG. 8A.
[0023] FIG. 9A is a flow chart describing an alternative embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using hand gestures and voice commands.
[0024] FIG. 9B is a flow chart describing an alternative embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using hand gestures and voice commands.
[0025] FIG. 9C is a flow chart describing one embodiment of a process for user interaction with a computing system using a specific hand gesture and contextual voice commands.
[0026] FIG. 10A is an illustration of a first level user interface implementing the flow chart of FIG. 7A.
[0027] FIG. 10B is an illustration of a second level user interface implementing the flow chart of FIG. 7B.
[0028] FIG. 10C is an illustration of a third level user interface.
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect1hcj22.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect2vtjwy.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect315j6w.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect4n4jfe.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect5l0jpg.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect6igkmz.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect769kyl.png)
(http://www.abload.de/img/kinect8xrkmr.png)
More images in the neogaf thread
http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=511043
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=Microsoft.AS.&s2=Xbox&OS=AN/Microsoft+AND+Xbox&RS=AN/Microsoft+AND+Xbox
Sources familiar with the Microsoft console tell Polygon that Microsoft, while already aware of Sony's launch timing, plans to hold its own announcement this spring, months after Sony's unveiling. A variety of form-factors for Microsoft's new console, we're told, are already being focus tested.
Both next generation consoles will focus on expanding their reach beyond core gaming to include more entertainment and social aspects, according to our sources. That could include, we're told, a subsidized version of the Xbox that serves as both a gaming platform and a cable box, though agreements with cable companies have yet to be finalized. Last year, The Verge reported (http://www.polygon.com/2012/11/21/3676130/microsoft-xbox-tv-set-top-box-streaming-video-casual-games)that Microsoft was also working on a subsidized low-cost alternative to its next-gen console.
What i am really afraid of when both MS and Sony present their new consoles with subsidized programs (like get your xbox for 30 bucks, and then pay us 30$ every month for two years), and Nintendo won't do it.
Microsoft’s next console will require an Internet connection in order to function, ruling out a second-hand game market for the platform. A new iteration of Xbox Live will be an integral part of Microsoft’s next console, while improved Kinect hardware will also ship alongside the unit.
Sources with first-hand experience of Microsoft’s next generation console have told us that although the next Xbox will be absolutely committed to online functionality, games will still be made available to purchase in physical form. Next Xbox games will be manufactured on 50GB-capacity Blu-ray discs, Microsoft having conceded defeat to Sony following its ill-fated backing of the HD-DVD format. It is believed that games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user.
Our source has also confirmed that the next Xbox’s recently rumoured specs are entirely accurate. That means an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800MHz graphics solution and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. As of now, the console’s hard drive capacity is said to be undecided, but Microsoft’s extended commitment to online delivery suggests that it will be the largest unit it has put inside a console to date.
The NeoGAF thread is quick to point out that this is the same thing that's been going on on PC for years, and yet Steam is still hugely popular.Theirs a flaw in that logic. I've been a PC gamer since 90 on. I can tell you right now sharing games between PC users just does not happen like console users. Its a much more personal experience. Also Steam has a way to play not connected if you know thats going to happen.
...Like new Wii games?
What if they just don't stock those consoles?
If it's indeed true, Microsoft wouldn't do it unless they were damn sure Sony would too. And if they're both doing it, that might explain why third parties have been so quick to avoid the Wii U. Gamers would hate this, but publishers would love it, and I can see why they'd much rather support the system that blocks second-hand games.Sony still might decide against it. Because as you said -- Japan. By committing to game activations they will basically give japanese console crown to Wii U.
No used games bugs me more in the longterm. Like years from now when Game X is out of print I can't play it?Digital downloads. You can still play them, just on Sony's and Microsoft's terms. I prefer physical media (and only buy digital if a game is download only like Mighty Switch Force) so obviously I don't like this at all.
No used games bugs me more in the longterm. Like years from now when Game X is out of print I can't play it?Digital downloads. You can still play them, just on Sony's and Microsoft's terms. I prefer physical media (and only buy digital if a game is download only like Mighty Switch Force) so obviously I don't like this at all.
I'm really glad Nintendo isn't messing that nonsense.One of the NFC related patents Nintendo has registered had a system that tracks game purchases from retailer. Some kind of gamers card or something. I don't think it outrightly said it's to supress used games sales, but it can potentially used for that.
Are they doing it right now? No? Then, it doesn't matter. The second they do is when I reconsider gaming as a hobby that I invest a bunch of money in.We'll always have PC
The NeoGAF thread is quick to point out that this is the same thing that's been going on on PC for years, and yet Steam is still hugely popular.Isn't Steam being sued in Germany right now for the used game sale policy?
The NeoGAF thread is quick to point out that this is the same thing that's been going on on PC for years, and yet Steam is still hugely popular.Isn't Steam being sued in Germany right now for the used game sale policy?
Most likely there will be a means to let a friend borrow a game. Perhaps like Barnesand Nobles Lend a book, and that may allow rental shops to still function. Or MS could just set up a means to download and sample every game before buying. But I do think this is worse for gamers, but great for the industry....at least on paper. If MS did this, but required MSRP to be 10 dollars cheaper, that would help cut the blow. If the industry could get games to 39.99 a game, I believe itcould do better all around.
What are they even trying to achieve with used game sales ban?
Nothing, they are just greedy bastards that want to squeeze every cent out people to please their stockholders even if that means screwing with the people that buys their products in the first place.
[size=78%]Nothing, they are just greedy bastards that want to squeeze every cent out people to please their stockholders even if that means screwing with the people that buys their products in the first place.[/size]
I use gamestop a bit and I'll even admit that in the londrun it's a worse for devs than waiting for those sweet sweet bomba prices hence what like season passes.Yeah, but it's not like season passes will go anywhere...
Nothing, they are just greedy bastards that want to squeeze every cent out people to please their stockholders even if that means screwing with the people that buys their products in the first place.You just descriped Corporate America and a Capitilistic nation. How much can they bleed you till its too much. See Cable and Phone as good examples as well.
Microsoft will greatly improve its speech recognition technology inside the next Xbox, The Verge has learned. Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed that Durango, the codename for the next Xbox, will support wake on voice, natural language controls, and speech-to-text. The improved capabilities mean that Xbox users will be able to walk into a room and simply say "Xbox on" to wake up the new Xbox.[\quote]QuoteWe understand that Microsoft is also investigating scenarios where a Kinect sensor will detect individuals in a room and suggest appropriate multiplayer games after a user queries the Xbox using voice. The support will include natural language detection, similar to Apple's Siri service, that will let users ask things like "what are my friends playing" to receive a friends list. Xbox will also reply back to users with answers to queries, making it an improved search service too. The current Xbox 360 console lacks natural interaction and context, we're told that's a big focus of the new speech recognition in the new Xbox.QuoteUsers will also be able to automatically resume video content where it left off simply by asking the new Xbox to play a particular movie. With speech-to-text built-in, it's likely that Microsoft will utilize this support to type out messages using the new Xbox. It's widely expected that Skype will make its Xbox debut on the new console. Microsoft will fully detail its new Xbox at E3 this year, with suggestions from sources that the company may hold a separate event to unveil its new hardware ahead of E3. The new Xbox is expected to be released later this year
**** yeah its hard enough as is too just press the big Xbox on my controller to turn the system on.
Also reading into this I think the always online edge rumor is either bullshit or miscommunication.
The next Xbox will be always on but that doesn't exactly mean it can't be used offline. Take the apple TV it can't be turned off but runs in a low power mode when not in use.
I do find it odd that the Xbox has pretty good voice controls yet windows 8 and windows phone is lacking in this regard.
Also episode three of microsofts point and click adventure game Adera is out.
(http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/en-EN-Adera_Episode_1_Boxart_415x569-218x300.png)
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They also announced monster love candy for windows 8 which is coming soon.QuoteMicrosoft Studios, in collaboration with award-winning game developer Other Ocean Interactive, announce today Monsters Love Candy, a puzzle adventure game with innovative new chain combo swipe and match gameplay. The free-to-play game, with more than 70 levels in 5 world locations, incorporates fast-paced puzzle-matching action with the search and discovery of more than 170 unique and adorable monsters that you can adopt. Feed them colorful candy as you clear the board in under sixty seconds and watch them evolve! The asynchronous multiplayer gameplay allows you to challenge your friends, trading scores and logging achievements on Xbox LIVE.
(http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/555249_288954497896727_580301240_n1.png)
(http://playxbla.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/819183_291365837655593_709782972_o.jpg)
Zen Studios announced that castlestorm is coming to XBLA and Windows 8 in April.
(http://cdn0.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/7742011/castlestorm_07.0_cinema_1280.0.jpg)QuoteCastleStorm was originally announced last May and slated for digital release in summer 2012. The title is set in a medieval world overrun with vikings and blends tower defense with 2.5D graphics and a physics-based destruction system.
Players will have access to an arsenal of medieval weapons to defend castles against enemy attack, such as morningstars, apple grenades and even flying sheep. Knights, axe throwers, healers and other fighters on foot can be trained and sent into the field to prevent opponents from overrunning the castle and capturing the player's flag.
Each of the main campaign's 12 different castle environments has its own set of objectives and specific rewards for each. Players can choose to end the level by capturing the enemy flag, destroy their castle or complete certain objectives. The game also includes online multiplayer and co-op modes.
Zen Studios has also added a tower editor with which players can build their own castles. Each construction choice will determine what types of resources and soldiers will be available for combat. Winning battles will level up troops and unlock access to new weapons and soldier classes.
Nothing, they are just greedy bastards that want to squeeze every cent out people to please their stockholders even if that means screwing with the people that buys their products in the first place.You just descriped Corporate America and a Capitilistic nation. How much can they bleed you till its too much. See Cable and Phone as good examples as well.
Always online, locked out used games and mandatory Kinect. Microsoft can't be that stupid, can they? That's the kind of arrogance you saw from Sony leading into the PS3.
New rumors say that not only will Kinect be much improved in the Xbox 3, but also that it will be shipped with the system and be REQUIRED for the system to even function.I am kinda excited about new Kinect. If they will be able to eliminate lag and provide more "games" in the vein of Happy Action Theatre (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEcYdtq9yFY&noredirect=1) -- i'm in.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/11/xbox-720-to-reportedly-require-kinect-to-function-support-multitasking
Always online, locked out used games and mandatory Kinect. Microsoft can't be that stupid, can they? That's the kind of arrogance you saw from Sony leading into the PS3.see windows 8 desktop...
New rumors say that not only will Kinect be much improved in the Xbox 3, but also that it will be shipped with the system and be REQUIRED for the system to even function.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/11/xbox-720-to-reportedly-require-kinect-to-function-support-multitasking
Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, just sat down alongside Nancy Tellem, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft LA Studios, to kick off this year's rendition of D:Dive Into Media here in Dana Point, Calif. The first session of the evening is being piloted by AllThingsD's Peter Kafka, and naturally, the topic of conversation is Xbox. For starters, Mehdi affirmed that Microsoft is witnessing an unmistakable transition of the Xbox 360 "from a gaming console to an entertainment console." At present, the install base is up to 76 million (up from around 70 million at the close of September 2012), with US-based users using the console for some 87 hours per month.
In fact, he stated that 18 billion (yeah, with a "B") hours of entertainment have been consumed on Xbox, and while Netflix is obviously the driving force, it might not be that way for much longer. He was quick to claim that Sony's PlayStation 3 "isn't as good of an entertainment console" -- something he feels that "everybody knows" -- and insinuated that the next-generation Xbox will stick to "big and premium." In other words, don't expect Microsoft to kick out a $50 Roku-style content box. Mehdi wants to ensure that the future of Xbox enables voice control, interactivity, and "other stuff that's big and beautiful."
Kicking the conversation over to Tellem, she affirmed that Microsoft is going to invest in premium content -- and in fact, said that she "hopes" for some of it to actually hit end users this year. Not surprisingly, folks are going to be asked to pay for it, but she wasn't willing to talk specifics. Of course, existing Xbox Live users are technically already paying, so it's possible that this new wave of content will be bundled into that monthly cost. When asked if Microsoft was planning to fund its own shows (much like Amazon and Netflix are doing), she seemed open to the idea, but also noted that Microsoft will absolutely partner with existing studios and content creators in order to give them yet another outlet (read: not pay-TV) to get people hooked.
Finally, she noted that there's "more latitude" in what kinds of material they can produce given that console distribution isn't as regulated as traditional broadcast. And, while a good deal of it will aim to satisfy the 18-24 male demographic, we're told that womenfolk and families will be looked after, too. Oh, and as for these Microsoft-funded shows hitting other distribution outlets? According to Tellem, that's unlikely -- at least at first -- but a sizable enough check from the likes of Hulu, Amazon, Sony, etc. could very well change that. In response to a question from TechCrunch's Ryan Lawler, Tellem noted that Microsoft's desire to churn out original, interactive entertainment is a way to both "move consoles, create new relationships with consumers and to expand [Microsoft's] audience," and from a higher level, to create the next generation of TV and "have it be a hit."
On the premium content front, Microsoft is once again dabbling in producing original material. Former CBS executive Nancy Tellem talked about the 125-person production studio Microsoft has opened in Santa Monica with a goal of having its first fruits land in the living room later this year.
On the distribution front, Mehdi said that the company isn’t looking to compete with cable TV and satellite, but instead intends to be a good partner with those companies. (Microsoft does have a separate TV software business that powers services such as AT&T’s U-verse.)
Always online, locked out used games and mandatory Kinect. Microsoft can't be that stupid, can they? That's the kind of arrogance you saw from Sony leading into the PS3.
since Xbox became the new synonym for video game console, I'd say they've reached that point of arrogance like Sony and Nintendo before it. Let them learn their lesson.
expensive online play.
expensive online play.
Since when is $5 a month "expensive"? Even less if you find Xbox Live cards at a discount.
expensive online play.
Since when is $5 a month "expensive"? Even less if you find Xbox Live cards at a discount.
He was quick to claim that Sony's PlayStation 3 "isn't as good of an entertainment console" -- something he feels that "everybody knows"I couldn't stop laughing there. I'll get to the rest of the post but, yeah... No. Just No.
Mandatory Kinect can go to hell. It makes sense to package it with every unit so it gets used. I just don't like the idea of a machine that is supposedly connected online all the time with a camera that needs to be plugged in to function. Always online + always on motion detecting camera sounds like a terrible idea. I don't want that in my living room. I don't want that in my bedroom. I do not like that in a house. I do not like that with a mouse. I do not like that here or there. I do not like Kinect. I do not like that Microsoft.But if you keep going with that story then they will eventually convince you to like it.
Ha, true.Creeps me out too. If you're online, does it send data back to Microsoft telling them what you are doing while playing or watching something? They are bashing Google for collecting user data, but requiring the Kinect to always be connected seems like they want to do the same thing in a different way.
In all seriousness, I'm not comfortable with a required camera. Kind of creeps me out.
How many of those live users are like me and don't pay for Gold? I'm a member, but I don't use any of the entertainment features because I don't want to pay to use netflix or amazon or anything. I just feel like that 46 million number may not be telling the story Microsoft wants it to.Yeah, I also be very surprised to find more then say 10% of PS3 owners who never used their PS3 for multimedia, pretty much anything thats not games and web browsing.
How many of those live users are like me and don't pay for Gold? I'm a member, but I don't use any of the entertainment features because I don't want to pay to use netflix or amazon or anything. I just feel like that 46 million number may not be telling the story Microsoft wants it to.
Why do you think this? It's free for PS3 members to use the multimedia aspects of it. It costs money on the 360.How many of those live users are like me and don't pay for Gold? I'm a member, but I don't use any of the entertainment features because I don't want to pay to use netflix or amazon or anything. I just feel like that 46 million number may not be telling the story Microsoft wants it to.Yeah, I also be very surprised to find more then say 10% of PS3 owners who never used their PS3 for multimedia, pretty much anything thats not games and web browsing.
Always online, locked out used games and mandatory Kinect. Microsoft can't be that stupid, can they? That's the kind of arrogance you saw from Sony leading into the PS3.
since Xbox became the new synonym for video game console, I'd say they've reached that point of arrogance like Sony and Nintendo before it. Let them learn their lesson.
Synonym for FPS, third person shooters and expensive online play.
Mandatory Kinect can go to hell. It makes sense to package it with every unit so it gets used. I just don't like the idea of a machine that is supposedly connected online all the time with a camera that needs to be plugged in to function. Always online + always on motion detecting camera sounds like a terrible idea. I don't want that in my living room. I don't want that in my bedroom. I do not like that in a house. I do not like that with a mouse. I do not like that here or there. I do not like Kinect. I do not like that Microsoft.
Thats why I be surprised if more than 10% of the PS3 users never used their PS3 for Multimedia.Why do you think this? It's free for PS3 members to use the multimedia aspects of it. It costs money on the 360.How many of those live users are like me and don't pay for Gold? I'm a member, but I don't use any of the entertainment features because I don't want to pay to use netflix or amazon or anything. I just feel like that 46 million number may not be telling the story Microsoft wants it to.Yeah, I also be very surprised to find more then say 10% of PS3 owners who never used their PS3 for multimedia, pretty much anything thats not games and web browsing.
That always online camera stuff really does make uncomfortable. I just wouldn't buy the new Xbox, end of story. But then I realized as we all become more and more connected to the internet, that I feel like becoming more of a luddite, clinging to my old technology. Privacy does not seem to be something that the younger generation values anymore, but I do, so stuff like Facebook and Google selling my usage statistics in exchange for using their free services kind of freak me out. I can think of younger co-workers of mine who wouldn't give two shits about always online Kinect being able to, in theory, watch them. But for me that betrays something that was emphasized as important throughout my entire childhood.Glad you realize that Facebook and Google are not actually free. Capitalism at work. Younger generation grow up with it. I personally deal with a lot of Data in my job. Data is only powerful if used but, somethings people really want to keep secret I don't understand. My health records and DNA are not really anything I'm overly concerned with. Health Records only matter to Insurance and they get all of those. DNA you can't Clone people, its not used for any financial reason, etc. I mean the worse is having someone tailor a virus to your DNA or finding a Child you didn't know you had. In my case:
If always-online becomes the norm for videogame systems I can see myself sticking to classic systems.
Your medical information is incredible sensitive to you and others around. With it you can be attacked, discriminated against, blackmailed and not to mention identity theft.Besides discrimination. How?
How many of those live users are like me and don't pay for Gold? I'm a member, but I don't use any of the entertainment features because I don't want to pay to use netflix or amazon or anything. I just feel like that 46 million number may not be telling the story Microsoft wants it to.
Hey Ceric, I hear you have anal warts!
I don't know but since I accidentally posted in this thread, it will curse my unread topics page forever. I guess we were highlighting the importance of internet privacy when you use online services, such as that of the XBoxen?that is a problem i have with the forums
Anyway, whatever Microsoft hurfs out for the next generation, it's probably a day 1 purchase for me barring any colossal fuckups. I got the 360 after I got a Wii and PS3, and ended up playing on the 360 almost exclusively, mostly due to it offering the best online play. That's the #1 thing I'm looking for and will look for in the next generation.
I have to agree that Microsoft had one hell of an online package.yes but i just want online play, a store, and maybe voice chat.. i dont really care about the extras and i already have internet. what makes the xbox so special that i should pay a seperate fee just so somebody at microsoft can flip a switch and let me do things i can already do on the PS3 or Wii U(including online services like netflix that i'm also already paying for)
Yes you had to pay for it, but I still believe you got a great deal, at least for the silver package. Fast downloads, good matching, and party systems, a great list of downloadable games, demos, movies of upcoming games and it just seemed to work.
I am worried about having to have an always online system. I think forcing some sort of registration of a game be it seamlessly through online connection on bootup or through another means is more acceptable practice. And I am curious to see how Microsoft improves its controller...specially the D-Pad.
I really wish I could support Nintendo this generation, because I love Nintendo games more than any other games, but Nintendo is just not doing it for me lately. If I get a new system it isn't going to be Nintendo, it is probably going to be Microsoft.
Kinect has changed the Microsoft policy. They have changed the hardcore games for Kinect games. RARE abandoned IPs like Banjo, Killer Instinct for casual games. Only Halo, Forza and Gears of War stay with us.
Epic hinted a Gears of War only for Kinect. This game is called Gears of War: Tactics (temptative title). A RTS based on GoW franchise. We would like to show you pictures of this game, those pictures are extracted from a previous footage. The graphics are poor, obviously, the video showed a game in works, probably an alpha version, maybe more primitive.
In Tactics you can take the control of four players. Draw a path with your finger until the place you want to move the character and later you choose an action (or make and action and move later, like you want). One by one or groups, you have the control.
Epic Games were developing the game for Xbox 360, but now probably they moved the project to Durango.
The quote above sounds like Xbox players are now feeling like some Nintendo players (ie: me) felt like with the Wii. Casual stuff makes MORE money with a LESSER product. Only principles towards game quality that stand ahead of monetary gain would truly keep a company from pursuing it.
But I've read it on other forums. "Kinect has made a Microsoft go casual" is a somewhat common opinion.
Oops...My mistake on the post I meant Gold and not Silver package.you still haven't answered my question
triple skus if you count a new subscription/rip-off plan.
I wouldn't really call it a ripoff either. Cellphones have been sold like that for years. It's exactly the same principle. Now, if you feel that Xbox Live itself is a ripoff, then that's a different argument.Depends on the price of the system itself
I wouldn't really call it a ripoff either. Cellphones have been sold like that for years. It's exactly the same principle. Now, if you feel that Xbox Live itself is a ripoff, then that's a different argument.
Airtime minutes ????That makes me feel old. The actual service itself. Having say an iPhone with no Cell Services makes it an iPod not a cellphone since it couldn't take call. You need a phone to take calls and you need Airtime/The Network to receive the call.
Rumour: Microsoft will not reveal next X-Box at E-3. It will wait until a week before PS4 launch and have its own blowout reveal press conference. Release date: June 2014.Nice idea, but expect an announcement about an event in March soon.
I just made all that up. It is based on my reaction to the PS4 reveal.
I wouldn't really call it a ripoff either. Cellphones have been sold like that for years. It's exactly the same principle. Now, if you feel that Xbox Live itself is a ripoff, then that's a different argument.
The difference with cell phones is you need a subscription so they can fufill their primary function. You have to have airtime minutes to use the phone! With a console, you can play a video game disc with no connection. At least you used to, we will see what shenanigans Microsoft and Sony get up to this next generation.
Sony was using a completely different architecture, and emulating the Cell would likely be a pain in the ass. The only way they could have done local BC was by including the Cell chip in the system, which would drive up the price of already-expensive hardware.
Microsoft's now under a lot less pressure to include BC, although on the flipside if they manage to make it so you can play 360 discs on the 720 they've got a leg up on Sony.
A growing number of developers and other industry professionals, some of which are Sony employees, have told CVG that Microsoft will reveal its next generation Xbox for the first time in April.
Quote:
One senior Sony official, who asked not to be named, said he was informed that the PS4 showcase in New York had "at first caught Microsoft off-guard".
"We definitely ruffled some feathers," the person said.
It is said that Microsoft will now showcase its console at a one-off media event in early April - though it is expected that discussion about future tech would be an inevitability if Microsoft engineers and developers attend GDC in March.[\quote]
Was going with late march around GDC myself but I could see them falling in to April instead.
Which begs the question is that wise programming. We are getting the point in graphics and technology where that additional boost in power isn't really worth not being able to support full backwards compatibility.
I would rather know I can continue to play my old games because the OS and hardware are designed to be compatible for future generations.
Backwards compatibility doesn't matter that much to third parties. They'd rather have the advantage of the best-looking, best-performing games that you get from coding that way. Short of forbidding developers from doing that, which would drive third parties away and give your competitors an advantage, there isn't much chance of getting rid of the practice.Their is really no advantage in the Game Console arena to program for Future Compatibility. Now that being said. Microsoft has a little bit of an advantage here. If you code to the APIs using the XNA architecture you get the Windows version for essentially "free." That a developer would care about. PC Versions might not be the initial gang banger but with Steam and like they do have some long legs.
The company Eventcore (formerly ustechs) just registered the Domain xboxevent.com yesterday (February 21th)
http://whois.domaintools.com/xboxevent.com
Eventcore plans and executes large events and meetings like 2013 AT&T developer summit (http://www.whois.com/whois/2013devsummit.com) and they only acquire domains for events they are organizing.
https://www.eventcore.com/
They also have MS in their list of references. (e.g. https://microsofthostingsummit.com/)
But especially this:
www.xboxe312.com (google cache) - official site for media registration for E3 2012 Keynote
This event is also managed by Eventcore and the domain was acquired also by them.
Now we compare both sites:
another example:
all kinect
Rare doing a AAA game? LOL, they haven't done a game that would be considered AAA (in quality or importance) since 2005.
oh and windows 8 metro down your throat(if they havent already)
tbh i imagine the 720 will bring a huge focus to kinect and even using it in conjunction with the standard controller
and i doubt we will see much of an update on the controller
maybe a better D-pad among other minor things
what if you dont have a touchscreen or touchpad like a desktopoh and windows 8 metro down your throat(if they havent already)
tbh i imagine the 720 will bring a huge focus to kinect and even using it in conjunction with the standard controller
and i doubt we will see much of an update on the controller
maybe a better D-pad among other minor things
Have you used metro because its pretty damned intuitive on the Laptop im working on right now. Plus getting a sweet Asus touch screen ultrabook this weekend.
Only real change I want from the controller is a better D-pad. They might pull a sony and change up the center of the controller as wel.
Most people say it's not good for anything but touch interface though you can learn to work with it.what if you dont have a touchscreen or touchpad like a desktopoh and windows 8 metro down your throat(if they havent already)
tbh i imagine the 720 will bring a huge focus to kinect and even using it in conjunction with the standard controller
and i doubt we will see much of an update on the controller
maybe a better D-pad among other minor things
Have you used metro because its pretty damned intuitive on the Laptop im working on right now. Plus getting a sweet Asus touch screen ultrabook this weekend.
Only real change I want from the controller is a better D-pad. They might pull a sony and change up the center of the controller as wel.
I liked Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, but it's in no way a AAA title. I'm not saying Rare can't make good games, just that there's no evidence to suggest that they're capable of putting out anything on the level of their old hits. They could turn it around, but listing them as a AAA studio at this point is ridiculous.
i believe rare will do kinect sports 18 more times this gen
Livingstone, who was one of the driving forces behind Eidos and its Tomb Raider franchise, was in India recently to promote Crystal Dynamics’ latest Lara Croft adventure.
On the possibility of boxed retail being abandoned in favour of digital distribution, Livingstone told MCV, “Boxed games aren’t being abandoned just yet. I think the next iteration of consoles – the PS4 and the next Xbox, have got optical disc drives even though they probably don’t want to have them. Broadband speed globally isn’t at a level that justifies digital-only.”
“So they’ve gone halfway,” he added, giving the example of Microsoft’s supposed next-gen approach, “With the next Xbox, you supposedly have to have an internet connection, and the discs are watermarked, whereby once played on one console it won’t play on another. So I think the generation after that will be digital-only.”
http://www.mcvindia.com/news/read/ian-livingstone-talks-next-gen-hints-at-always-on-used-game-blocking-xbox/0111409yes thats exactly my stanceQuoteLivingstone, who was one of the driving forces behind Eidos and its Tomb Raider franchise, was in India recently to promote Crystal Dynamics’ latest Lara Croft adventure.
On the possibility of boxed retail being abandoned in favour of digital distribution, Livingstone told MCV, “Boxed games aren’t being abandoned just yet. I think the next iteration of consoles – the PS4 and the next Xbox, have got optical disc drives even though they probably don’t want to have them. Broadband speed globally isn’t at a level that justifies digital-only.”
“So they’ve gone halfway,” he added, giving the example of Microsoft’s supposed next-gen approach, “With the next Xbox, you supposedly have to have an internet connection, and the discs are watermarked, whereby once played on one console it won’t play on another. So I think the generation after that will be digital-only.”
Not a confirmation, but worrying still all the same.
Do it MS, I'm eager to see how such a bold move plays out.
If Microsoft requires Kinect in Durango, I'd consider that shoving it down my throat, especially if, unlike the Wii Remote or GamePad, Kinect isn't the console's main method of controlling games which it most likely wouldn't.
I'm less concerned about Windows 8 possibly being included. I was playing around with it at Best Buy and the only thing that madee raise an eyebrow (from that limited exposure to it) was that Minesweeper wasn't pre-installed.
kinect will be bundled with the 720 and it likely will be a huge part of the system
the only question is if it will coexist in perfect balance with the regular controller or if the controller will become some secondary thing
microsoft needs a standout and kinect can do that
kinect 2 would need to fix alot of these things for certain. but microsoft simply cant enter the race without some mass market appealkinect will be bundled with the 720 and it likely will be a huge part of the system
the only question is if it will coexist in perfect balance with the regular controller or if the controller will become some secondary thing
microsoft needs a standout and kinect can do that
Mandatory Kinect would be a terrible idea, and would guarantee that me and millions of others would not even bother getting the system. I never had room for Kinect since you needed to be 6 feet away from it and I didn't have that much room, so I could never use it even if I wanted to. So if Xbox 3 does come bundled with Kinect 2, Microsoft would be foolish to make it mandatory to use with the system. If you need to use Kinect 2 to even power up the system, then that is millions of potential sales that will be lost just because of that.
I'm just weary of having to use to use voice commands. My voice isn't good for that. I don't think it'll happen though. All 720s coming with Kinect 2? Highly plausible. Not having a regular controller? Malarkey. Sony has real controllers, Nintendo has real controllers, MS is not going to be the odd man out.i never said it wouldnt i said the controller may see less use (imagine kinect as the wiimote and the controller as the nunchuck)
Kinwctbwing bundled means its going to used for more than dance and fitness games a hopefully.because microsoft can charge for xbox live and make it REQUIRED to use the system
Though I really don't see how always online is a bad thing. (Though I'm sure they meant always on similar to a phone or tablet)
Voice commands and face recognition would be my guess as to why it could be mandatory.That could be it. Can't sign in without facial recognition. That makes a lot of sense.
Rare's posted a bunch of job vacancies for its mysterious new Kinect project, which (given the timing) is all but guaranteed to be a next generation Xbox game. They don't tell us much that's new, but I like to keep these things ticking over.
The developer is in the market for a an experienced, passionate and highly technical engineer to help us deliver the services that will power our next amazing product." This illustrious individual will be responsible for the creation of "large scale distributed systems with a focus on scalability, reliability and maintainability" and will "[drive] continuous improvement through rapid iteration and short ship cycles". Experience with cloud based services is "desirable".
There's also a region design manager to assist with "the next jaw-dropping, never-been-done-before Rare project". Advantageous criteria include "experience of motion gaming, especially Kinect technology".
Valve is preparing to enter the console market with its "Steam Box (http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/6/3958162/valve-steam-box-cake/in/3514777)" gaming hardware, but Microsoft doesn't consider it as a competitor just yet. Speaking at Microsoft's TechForum this week, Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business, fielded questions about the strategy for Xbox and its competition. Asked about viewing Valve as a competitor, Mattrick simply said "no" before noting Valve is "doing some innovative stuff" and creating some great experiences. "The scale of products and things that are being brought to market are probably a little bit richer when I look at Sony, Nintendo, Apple, and Google," noted Mattrick.
Steam Box is not a console, it's a gimped PC. It's a stripped down PC, literally, taking a PC and stripping away everything except the ability to play PC games (specifically Steam games). It's a niche product at best, as the only people who would really be interested in it already have the knowledge to play PC games on their TV.Isn't it a PC in a console format. The big picture mode looks like a console interface.
Actually, I would love to have this. I'm way to lazy to build my own, or pay someone to do it. If Valve made a Steambox that could run games at a reasonable quality, plus play the next-gen stuff coming up, I'd buy it in a heart beat. I already have a computer to do other computer things. I just want a computer for gaming now.if the steam box is some kind of starter kit type deal that can run modern gamess and be upgraded later then its a very interesting deal
If u have a TV made within the last 5 years, you can stream PC games to your TV for very little money (FAR less than the rumored $300 Steam Box will cost) and use your Xbox 360 controller (which most PC games support).Don't have a PC (only a laptop with less than desirable graphics capabilities) and the TV is rear projection and I don't have a 360 controller. It'd cost more to get all those things than to just get a Steam Box.
My main problem with the steambox is that they are trying to sell a PC in a console market. One of the big reason that people et consoles is the exclusive games.
Valve has a better first party lineup than Microsoft or Sony.Steam IS their system seller for me building a pc
Half Life
Day of Defeat
Counter Strike
Team Fortress
Portal
Left 4 Dead
DOTA
Steam is also superior to Xbox Live
Valve has a better first party lineup than Microsoft or Sony.
Half Life
Day of Defeat
Counter Strike
Team Fortress
Portal
Left 4 Dead
DOTA
Steam is also superior to Xbox Live
Valve has a better first party lineup than Microsoft or Sony.
Half Life
Day of Defeat
Counter Strike
Team Fortress
Portal
Left 4 Dead
DOTA
Valve has a better first party lineup than Microsoft or Sony.
Half Life
Day of Defeat
Counter Strike
Team Fortress
Portal
Left 4 Dead
DOTA
Almost all FPS games, and that is pretty much their only games released in the last 15 years. Not a very compelling argument.
Well, it looks like the Steam Box may be DOA. Xi3's version of the Steam Box will START at $999 (with a 128GB SSD), with a 256GB model for $1,340 and a 512GB model for $1,750. Pretty much anyone could set up a good gaming setup with their tv for far less than that. If it was $300 it ought have had a small chance of at least being popular with a niche audience, but I think any chance of it being successful at all is dead now that the cheapest model is $1,000.Have a link for that?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html)
There is a $100 discount to those who pre-order before March 17, though it's still over-priced.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html)
There is a $100 discount to those who pre-order before March 17, though it's still over-priced.
Making his thing so small, it's freaking fist sized, seems like something totally unnecessary that is jacking up the price.
I think that is exactly why the price is what it is. I don't know if it's DOA, but this one sure is a hard sell.http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030479/xi3-takes-orders-for-piston-steam-box-at-sub-1000-prices.html)
There is a $100 discount to those who pre-order before March 17, though it's still over-priced.
Making this thing so small, it's freaking fist sized, seems like something totally unnecessary that is jacking up the price.
Plus, it's a just a third party SteamBox. Wait for the flaming until the official Valve one is announced.Good point. Android based tablets were considered crap until Google had the Nexus 7 made and then they started to take off and everybody wanted one. If Valve can so something similar, there may be hope for the SB yet.
That's part of the Reason Microsoft made the Surface.Plus, it's a just a third party SteamBox. Wait for the flaming until the official Valve one is announced.Good point. Android based tablets were considered crap until Google had the Nexus 7 made and then they started to take off and everybody wanted one. If Valve can so something similar, there may be hope for the SB yet.
well the kindle fire paved the way theirPlus, it's a just a third party SteamBox. Wait for the flaming until the official Valve one is announced.Good point. Android based tablets were considered crap until Google had the Nexus 7 made and then they started to take off and everybody wanted one. If Valve can so something similar, there may be hope for the SB yet.
Not really, Kindle Fire is an Amazon product using a derivative of Android. In order for it to be an Android product, you would need to jailbreak it and at that point, it is no longer a Kindle Fire.well the kindle fire paved the way theirPlus, it's a just a third party SteamBox. Wait for the flaming until the official Valve one is announced.Good point. Android based tablets were considered crap until Google had the Nexus 7 made and then they started to take off and everybody wanted one. If Valve can so something similar, there may be hope for the SB yet.
but we can all agree this isn't the kindle fire
it did make smaller tablets more mainstream which is what i'm getting atNot really, Kindle Fire is an Amazon product using a derivative of Android. In order for it to be an Android product, you would need to jailbreak it and at that point, it is no longer a Kindle Fire.well the kindle fire paved the way theirPlus, it's a just a third party SteamBox. Wait for the flaming until the official Valve one is announced.Good point. Android based tablets were considered crap until Google had the Nexus 7 made and then they started to take off and everybody wanted one. If Valve can so something similar, there may be hope for the SB yet.
but we can all agree this isn't the kindle fire
I hate to say this but, I'm pretty sure you guys are describe the Goals of the PS4.Sounds very similar, I agree.
Does the Sony "have your friend beat the game for you" feature require the other person to have the game?Probably. Since the system is not out yet, there is no way to tell for sure as they haven't officially announced it as a standard feature yet.
Does the Sony "have your friend beat the game for you" feature require the other person to have the game?Probably. Since the system is not out yet, there is no way to tell for sure as they haven't officially announced it as a standard feature yet.
Galactic Reign is a head-to-head game of tactical expansion and conquest. You and your opponent colonize planets, design ships, and build fleets as you fight for domination of the galaxy. Ship design is crucial, as you must predict what their opponent is building and construct ships to counter it. When opposing fleets meet, the battle is rendered on the cloud, showing the result in a stunning cinematic movie. You and your opponent take your turns whenever you like, and the game advances when you both have submitted your actions. In addition to player vs. player strategy, Galactic Reign features an extensive collection of single player missions that challenge you to use clever ship design to defeat enemy fleets.
Other game features include:
> A trial mode that contains the entire game experience with a single species. Purchase the full version to unlock the other two.
> Experience the thrill of cinematic cloud-rendered battles.
> Play anywhere –battle your friends in online asynchronous multiplayer across Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7! You can download the trial and still have access to the additional content. Purchasing on other platforms will unlock the ability to gain achievements on that platform
> Choose from three different species, each with a unique look and arsenal.
> Personalize the look of your fleet with color selections and decals.
> Scan your opponent’s ships and research new technology to take advantage of any weaknesses.
> Multiple win conditions bring depth to the strategy layer.
> Hours of training missions and single-player scenarios to teach you the ropes and put your skills to the test.
When Max wishes for his annoying little brother, Felix, to be whisked away by unknown evil forces, he gets more than he bargained for. Armed only with an marker and a hope of undoing what he has just done, he sets out on a perilous journey across deserts, eerie lantern-lit bogs, ancient temples and lush green forests to get his younger sibling back. Along the way Max gains the powers to manipulate his environment and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.
If those are real (it's always prudent to be skeptical with stuff like this), it's a horrible mistake for Xbox 3 to REQUIRE Kinect to even operate. That will be reason enough for me and many people to not even buy the system. Would Microsoft really be stupid enough to do something that would guarantee a large number of Xbox 360 owners would not bother buying their new system?
Video of a Presentation by AJ Grand-Scrutton CEO of Dlala Studios who is working inside of Microsoft's Soho building (holds Lift London and Soho Productions) in an incubation process. Video is about ow the studio got started and how Microsoft is trying to help its image in the eyes of indie developers. So they're working in a situation similar to thatgamecompany had with Sony. They have a contact with Microsoft to work on a game for them (how many games wasn't disclosed) and Microsoft gets to keep the IP. In return Dlala is using space inside of the Soho building alongside Microsoft's two internal development studios. Dlala is paid as if they were normal Microsoft employees as well receive help from other studios and MS employees. By the time the game is complete Microsoft will have enough capital for Dlala to work as a completely independent studio and then go forward and go their separate ways. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft buys Dlala after the contract is up as a way to show independent devs that working on Microsoft platforms could have great benefits.
On that note i'm pretty surprised that Microsoft hasn't acquired signal studios yet as thye have worked on nothing but Microsoft platforms thus far.
Video of a Presentation by AJ Grand-Scrutton CEO of Dlala Studios who is working inside of Microsoft's Soho building (holds Lift London and Soho Productions) in an incubation process. Video is about ow the studio got started and how Microsoft is trying to help its image in the eyes of indie developers. So they're working in a situation similar to thatgamecompany had with Sony. They have a contact with Microsoft to work on a game for them (how many games wasn't disclosed) and Microsoft gets to keep the IP. In return Dlala is using space inside of the Soho building alongside Microsoft's two internal development studios. Dlala is paid as if they were normal Microsoft employees as well receive help from other studios and MS employees. By the time the game is complete Microsoft will have enough capital for Dlala to work as a completely independent studio and then go forward and go their separate ways. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft buys Dlala after the contract is up as a way to show independent devs that working on Microsoft platforms could have great benefits.
On that note i'm pretty surprised that Microsoft hasn't acquired signal studios yet as thye have worked on nothing but Microsoft platforms thus far.
So Microsoft being friendly with "indie" devs is them having an indie guy work in their office, be payed exactly like an MS employee and MS gets to keep all IP rights to what is created.
That sounds identical to working directly for MS, what is independent about any of that?
many indies want to avoid exactly what sony would offer. a large budget studio and deadlines...Video of a Presentation by AJ Grand-Scrutton CEO of Dlala Studios who is working inside of Microsoft's Soho building (holds Lift London and Soho Productions) in an incubation process. Video is about ow the studio got started and how Microsoft is trying to help its image in the eyes of indie developers. So they're working in a situation similar to thatgamecompany had with Sony. They have a contact with Microsoft to work on a game for them (how many games wasn't disclosed) and Microsoft gets to keep the IP. In return Dlala is using space inside of the Soho building alongside Microsoft's two internal development studios. Dlala is paid as if they were normal Microsoft employees as well receive help from other studios and MS employees. By the time the game is complete Microsoft will have enough capital for Dlala to work as a completely independent studio and then go forward and go their separate ways. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft buys Dlala after the contract is up as a way to show independent devs that working on Microsoft platforms could have great benefits.
On that note i'm pretty surprised that Microsoft hasn't acquired signal studios yet as thye have worked on nothing but Microsoft platforms thus far.
So Microsoft being friendly with "indie" devs is them having an indie guy work in their office, be payed exactly like an MS employee and MS gets to keep all IP rights to what is created.
That sounds identical to working directly for MS, what is independent about any of that?
Because they have a contract with Microsoft an once that contract is complete they're free to do what they they want, That and they're a fourman studio.
Sony does the same thing letting indies (thatgamecompany and Giant Sparrow) use space within the Sony Santa Monica building. Sony also retained all IP in this case and Sony Apparently offered to buy them but they said no. (bad idea imo)
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/tech/gaming-gadgets/indie-video-games-sony/ (http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/tech/gaming-gadgets/indie-video-games-sony/)
Not everyone wants to be rich. I guess...
but at the same time you don't necessarily have to share with the publisher.Not everyone wants to be rich. I guess...
Nobody's getting rich making games, regardless of where they work. You can make more with a big company, maybe, but you lose creative freedom, and there's an appeal to the whole indie ideal for a lot of those guys.
Starting Monday, April 1, we’re launching an exclusive feature for Xbox LIVE Rewards Members, MyPunchcard, an exciting new way to get rewarded for doing what you love! And this April, all the action is in arcade games with our exclusive Play To Earn (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/marketplace/promotions/play-to-earn) offers, your passion for playing arcade games can pay off in a big way.Only the most devoted Arcade fans have what it takes to black out all three Arcade Punchcards. Those who do will be guaranteed a spot in an upcoming VIP Exclusives. By simply playing your favorite arcade games and adding to your game collection, you can earn rewards in April. *Click READ MORE for all the details!*Here’s the three ways you can earn rewards all month long:> Play 20 hours of any combination of arcade games, receive a free avatar item> Purchase any four arcade games for 400 Microsoft Points or more from Xbox LIVE, receive a one month Xbox LIVE Gold membership> Spend 3200 Microsoft Points on arcade games, receive 800 Microsoft Points in return.It’s easy and fun, you can earn for playing and or buying ANY arcade game from Xbox LIVE[/l]
[/q]
"Unless something has changed recently," one of the sources told us over email, "Durango consumer units must have an active internet connection to be used."(http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18cfrj5l9og81jpg/k-small.jpg)The Next Xbox Has Mandatory Kinect, Game-Swapping and New Controllers, According To Leaked Info (http://kotaku.com/5982986/we-know-all-about-the-next-xbox-from-someone-who-says-theyve-got-one)The next-generation Xbox—the one that will follow the still-popular Xbox 360—will run multiple… Read… (http://kotaku.com/5982986/we-know-all-about-the-next-xbox-from-someone-who-says-theyve-got-one)Durango is the codename for the next-gen Xbox (http://kotaku.com/5982986/we-know-all-about-the-next-xbox-from-someone-who-says-theyve-got-one).Hmm on one hand kotaku is kotaku and they even say that multiple sources are saying different things. But this isn't the first rumor for anything like this.
"If there isn't a connection, no games or apps can be started," the source continued. "If the connection is interrupted then after a period of time--currently three minutes, if I remember correctly--the game/app is suspended and the network troubleshooter started."
So they are just reiterating rumors that we already know.Microsoft
If all these rumors are true, the Xbox 3 is DOA.
(http://i.minus.com/jF1Mjq5MZmVHd.png)
Manveer is a game designer at Bioware.
(http://i.minus.com/jbmJQEeF9tOY7R.png)
Twitter (http://"https://twitter.com/adam_orth")
Nothing stops this train:
(http://i.imgur.com/OEY5yp8.jpg)
and then they will make xbox live gold mandatory...But isn't that a small reason hy the Wii U isn't doing hot. There's just no longer a market for just traditional console these days at least in America.
i think this alone makes the Wii U, arguably the most traditional console... no forced social/cloud stuff, no always online,
and if this is true used gaming may be at a huge risk
The funny thing is that as much as gamers will decry this (if its true or not) the average consumer will probably not even care.Of course they'll care, as soon as their wifi goes out and they can't play their ****. I deal with the average consumer on a daily basis and you'd be surprised about the things they actually do care about. They aren't mindless zombies.
Still taking it with a grain of salt regardless.
Of course they'll care, as soon as their wifi goes out and they can't play their ****. I deal with the average consumer on a daily basis and you'd be surprised about the things they actually do care about. They aren't mindless zombies.
Dude used a flawed analogy but I don't really disagree. Personally I won't mind an always online based system or at least semi always online. Every other device I have is for the most part constantly connected online.when PSN went down in 11, you could still play single player games
Its funny since my internet connection was messing up earlier today and I had to unplug it to get my 360 connected again.
Always online is annoying but not a deal breaker and i'm saying that right now but once I get to somewhere where I have n internet I'll probably start bitching.
Also you obviously read the tweets if your living in a rural area your obviously doing things wrong.
Also you obviously read the tweets if your living in a rural area your obviously doing things wrong.
Check your sentence structure, I have no idea what you're saying. But it kind of sounds like what that dude was saying on Twitter.
I have a very difficult time imagining a future where MS will let an always-online policy or no-used games policy hurt their console's chances with consumers. Either this isn't true, or MS will be changing very quickly either now or after launch. Or maybe gamers will just let them get away with it. But I'm having trouble envisioning a future where gamers are voting with their wallets against always-on DRM and anti-used game policies and MS stays the course.It will be that one. History has already proven that Gamers in General are all bark no lasting bite. Sure in a near term future it might hurt a little but in the long run it will even out to nothing.
I have a very difficult time imagining a future where MS will let an always-online policy or no-used games policy hurt their console's chances with consumers. Either this isn't true, or MS will be changing very quickly either now or after launch. Or maybe gamers will just let them get away with it. But I'm having trouble envisioning a future where gamers are voting with their wallets against always-on DRM and anti-used game policies and MS stays the course.It will be that one. History has already proven that Gamers in General are all bark no lasting bite. Sure in a near term future it might hurt a little but in the long run it will even out to nothing.
No not fully. Especially Film. TV as well. Tech is debatable. Just not nearly as bad as gaming.I have a very difficult time imagining a future where MS will let an always-online policy or no-used games policy hurt their console's chances with consumers. Either this isn't true, or MS will be changing very quickly either now or after launch. Or maybe gamers will just let them get away with it. But I'm having trouble envisioning a future where gamers are voting with their wallets against always-on DRM and anti-used game policies and MS stays the course.It will be that one. History has already proven that Gamers in General are all bark no lasting bite. Sure in a near term future it might hurt a little but in the long run it will even out to nothing.
Isn't this kind of the same with all communities? Whether it's film, television, tech, no matter what a company does, we will all continue sucking their dick.
Always online=live required. That means a subscription is mandatory when buying the device. This is where we see MS introducing the "pay 200 now then 80 dollars a month forever" model.gee thanks for repeating what I said already... live is still a rip off
Always online=live required. That means a subscription is mandatory when buying the device. This is where we see MS introducing the "pay 200 now then 80 dollars a month forever" model.gee thanks for repeating what I said already... live is still a rip off
I was asked about this guy’s alleged meltdown on Twitter and via email a number of times. My take-aways were simple:
1) Always-on connectivity is indeed part of the next Xbox, and it was interesting to see this guy confirm that unofficially.
2) He could have been more tactful, but let’s face it, people are way too sensitive online.
3) The biggest issue here, frankly, was the cyberbullying that occurred in the wake of Orth’s comments. Those sensitive people aren’t so sensitive when it comes to other people, that’s for sure. In fact, that’s my exact definition of a bully.
now I have a fourth take-away.
4) Microsoft is only upset about the way this feature was communicated, because it likes to present this kind of thing has a positive, not a negative.
Folks, the next Xbox is going to require an always-on Internet connection. I don’t know the specifics of what that means, but as I explained on this week’s What The Tech podcast, which was recorded on Friday instead of the usual Tuesday because of my travel earlier in this week, this piece of information had been communicated to me, along with some other relevant tidbits, in January. It’s true.
Will Microsoft change this requirement in the wake of early outrage? Frankly I think we’re too far along in the development process of the next Xbox, codenamed Durango, to make such a change. More to the point, I think that an always-on Xbox is directly in keeping with Microsoft’s strategy for all next-generation platforms, including Windows Phone (all versions) and Windows 8 (http://www.windowsitpro.com/windows-8)/RT, which are designed to work as if you are simply connected all the time. Yes, they do work offline, of course. But the apps platform on these systems—which will be replicated on the Windows 8-based next Xbox—assumes a connection. Microsoft’s new platforms are integrated conduits for online services.
Quote:[/td][/tr][/table]
"The next Xbox is code-named Durango. And we have talked for a while about this notion that there might be another version of the Xbox that was just aimed at entertainment—a non-gaming device. That device was code-named 'Yumo' and they're not making it. They may make one in the future, but it's not happening this year.
"So the new Xbox that comes out this year will just be the Xbox. And I mentioned before they're also going to sell a new Xbox 360 code-named 'Stingray' that will be $99. And you might look at that as two things: backwards compatibility, obviously, suggesting—I don't actually know this for a fact, but based on the fact that they're making one—I don't think that the new Xbox will play 360 games. But that I don't actually know, that I'm guessing. But, the other one is that, $99, that's a real coo price. And so we know that the Xbox 360 does Netflix, Hulu Plus, yada yada yada, and you can make the argument that's kind of a low cost entertainment device, too.
"Durango is going to be expensive [laughs], you know $500, $300 for the subscription, that kind of thing, but you know, Blu-ray, blah blah blah, but the thing that interest me, going back and looking at some of the stuff I got a long time ago, it actually says 'must be internet-connected to use' in the notes. And that's all I have, but it does say that.
[Is that a bad thing?]
"I don't know because I don't know what it means. You know, when you look at some of the stories that were coming out this week about, you know, I saw a headline that said something like 'Next Xbox could be okay without an internet connection for as long as 3 minutes' or something like that. I don't even know what that means, so for me, Xbox 360 is almost entirely an online experience. Most of the games I play are multiplayer, where you're playing against other people online. Or you're using it as an entertainment device when you're connected to a service like Netflix or Xbox video, so that is an internet-connected device. In this phrase, it says 'must be internet-connected to use', you know, that suggests that you can't even boot into the UI and play—I don't know, I don't know, I don't have one.
"Originally, they were going to announce this thing in April—April 24—now they're going to announce it May 21. We know there are events occuring this year where we're going to learn more about Durango.
[And it's a fourth quarter release, right?]
"Early November, yeah. E3 is going to occur. BUILD is going to occur in San Francisco in June when they're going to talk about the developer story because it's a Windows 8 device. It's going to have the same, or basically the same, developer tools and developer APIs and all that kind of stuff. So I think there's a lot information to come, but I look at all this stuff that I've seen about Durango and I think, 'it's all positive.' I don't really see any bad news here at all. Like to me, everything I've seen about this is really positive. It's amazing to me that, based on like no information at all, everyone is like freaking out about everything. Aside from this online thing, by the way, the number one question I've gotten from people is, 'What does it look like?' Who gives a **** what it looks like?
"I've actually heard from, by the way not one or two people, several people who've said, 'based on what I've seen, Sony is going to blow them away.' Based on what you've seen? You've seen nothing. What are you talking about? No, but you've seen literally nothing from Microsoft.
[I don't think that's even a possibility considering how many people use Xbox LIVE... You're not going to have this mass Xbox audience jumping to Sony.]
"The problem Microsoft has has nothing to do with Sony or Nintendo anymore, it's Roku and AppleTV. The market for hardcore video games, the market of people will always buy the next Gears of War game, the next Halo game, the next Call of Duty game, it's fairly finite. It's a decent market, yada yada yada, it's not the market for tablets, it's not the market for smartphones.[/t][/t][/t]
Meh...and Stingray is the codename of the Verizon version of the Motorola Xoom.
There's no doubt that Durango will support always online and always on modes with Connected Standby. Durango is built from the core of Windows 8, which provides instant on and Connected Standby support. It's essentially an x86 machine that's optimized for gaming.
metro confirmedMeh...and Stingray is the codename of the Verizon version of the Motorola Xoom.
Tom Warren on the verge corroborated that May 21st being the day of the event. He however did point out that the stringray info paul had was wrong.
He did add this about the info.QuoteThere's no doubt that Durango will support always online and always on modes with Connected Standby. Durango is built from the core of Windows 8, which provides instant on and Connected Standby support. It's essentially an x86 machine that's optimized for gaming.
Metro is a terrible interface for anything that's not a touch screen. There's a reason Apple uses different interfaces on Macs than they do on iOS devices, and it's that they're very different things.Metro isn't on the same on Windows and Windows Phone. While they share a lot both share content in different ways (horizontal vs Vertical). Even ignoring my Ultrabook has a touchscreen my touchpad s pretty similar to the one on a MacBook and just using gestures works pretty well with Windows 8. But I see where your coming from I had to used Windows 8 on a non touch screen or good trackpad and it was more of a pain than I remember it being,
The following is a post from Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Strategy and Business for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.
Today, Microsoft and Ericsson announced a definitive agreement for Ericsson to acquire Mediaroom, the number one IPTV platform deployed by TV operators around the world. This acquisition is mutually beneficial and strategically aligned for both parties. Ericsson will continue to invest in the growth and success of Mediaroom to the benefit of customers, employees, and the industry. It allows Microsoft to commit 100 percent of its focus on consumer TV strategy with Xbox.
We are proud of the world-class engineering and business achievements within Mediaroom. They have a rich history of driving innovation in IPTV. As early pioneers, they built the infrastructure to stream video on limited bandwidth, and today they enable multiscreen entertainment experiences for pay TV subscribers. Mediaroom has contributed to the evolution of TV and powers 22 million set-top boxes today in 11 million subscriber households.
With the sale of Mediaroom, Microsoft is dedicating all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want – whether on a console, phone, PC or tablet. And with 76 million Xbox 360 consoles around the world with 46 million Xbox LIVE members, it is a mission that gets us out of bed in the morning.
It is not a mission that we can achieve alone. We want to partner with the industry to deliver the next wave of innovation in games and consumer entertainment. We will partner with content creators, studios, labels, networks, content aggregators, operators and distributors to make this happen. We believe the future of home entertainment is one where TV becomes more simple, tailored and intelligent. We believe the best is yet to come for this industry.
Our vision and energy for the future of entertainment is more focused than ever. Stay tuned.
Except there will almost certainly be a price cut in two years.
This is why Thatcher died, she's satisfied that people are carrying on her evil legacy.
You do know political discussions are banned? ... I wont get into it here though since unlike you, I will not break the rules.Except that you just did when you said this:
Ha! Burned!!! :@ :@ :@
And there is a reason Thatcher is considered one of the best world leaders of the 20th century.
Er Vista was only a flop from the critical perspective. Irrc it sold pretty well but was quickly fixed with a service patch and Windows 7.Except there will almost certainly be a price cut in two years.
This is why Thatcher died, she's satisfied that people are carrying on her evil legacy.
You do know political discussions are banned? And there is a reason Thatcher is considered one of the best world leaders of the 20th century. I wont get into it here though since unlike you, I will not break the rules.
I finally tried the Windows 8 interface at a store, and I hate it. I kind of hope it flops as badly as Vista did, so then they will not keep this interface.
So let me get this straight...
Durango has always on and constantly uploads video feed ro Microsoft through the Kinect. Talk about invasive.
Also it might not allow used games and it could cost 500 bucks? Who is this product for?
So let me get this straight...its for you to send to people you hate...
Durango has always on and constantly uploads video feed ro Microsoft through the Kinect. Talk about invasive.
Also it might not allow used games and it could cost 500 bucks? Who is this product for?
Steam has an offline mode.It does have something that they call "offline".
If the next Xbox has something similar people will be less upset about it.One of the main issues people seem to be having with it is that they have unstable connection that might turn off your network at any random time.
Steam's "offline mode" can only be activated while in online mode thus defeating the entire point.
Hence if you get disconnected you won't be able to activate this "offline mode" and you won't be able to start any of your games.
So i really hope those people who are angry at always online DRM don't use and like Steam, because otherwise that would make them huge hypocrites.
I like how we are talking about rumored and unconfirmed features as if it is the death of the system. This will most likely be a 100% nonissue. So lets not talk about it...until it actually is an issue.
Are there any indications or rumors as to launch titles? I would settle for some soothing lies even, if they affirmed KI3.So far Microsoft has these studios and each studios last game.
^ That's one sad line-up.
And i thought PS4 lineup (from what was officially announced) was underwhelming...
We probably should expect more exciting stuff from second and third parties. Avalanche studios (Just Cause guys) are doing something, Epic is definitely doing something.
^ That's one sad line-up.
And i thought PS4 lineup (from what was officially announced) was underwhelming...
We probably should expect more exciting stuff from second and third parties. Avalanche studios (Just Cause guys) are doing something, Epic is definitely doing something.
Doesn't Nintendo have any stake in KI?No, that property is 100% Rare currently
Microsoft is investing in TV in a big way with its next Xbox console as part of a fight for the living room (http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/13/3640178/war-for-tv-inside-the-fight-for-the-living-room). Multiple sources familiar with the company's Xbox plans have revealed to The Verge that Microsoft will introduce a feature that lets its next-generation console take over a TV and set-top box in a similar way to Google TV. We understand that the next Xbox will require an online connection to use the entertainment services, allowing them to be always-on for streaming and access to TV signals.Sounds similar to Google TV or Nintendo's Tvii but more useful since the overall would probably always be there and they have been working on partnerships with cable companies.
The functionality will work by taking a cable box signal and passing it through to the Xbox via HDMI, allowing Microsoft's console to overlay a UI and features on top of an existing TV channel or set-top box. We're told that this is a key part of the next-generation Xbox and that it will go a step further than Google's TV implementation thanks to Microsoft's partnerships with content providers. Extended support for various cable services will be rolled out gradually, but the basic functionality will be available at launch.
Coupled with this TV functionality, Microsoft's next-generation Kinect sensor will also play a role in the company's TV focus. The Verge has learned that the next Kinect will detect multiple people simultaneously, including the ability to detect eye movement to pause content when a viewer turns their head away from a TV. Microsoft is said to be using these capabilities as part of its UI and features for its TV plans.
Microsoft recently announced its plans to sell its Mediaroom IPTV business to Ericsson (http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/8/4196336/microsoft-mediaroom-iptv-sale-ericsson). The sale moves Microsoft away from supporting and helping build out software that's used in over 22 million set-top boxes worldwide. It's also part of an effort by Microsoft to focus fully on its Xbox console for entertainment apps and TV services. We're told that the company is still planning to introduce its own low-cost "Xbox TV" set-top box (http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/21/3674802/xbox-tv-set-top-box-casual-gaming-streaming-2013), but that this will likely debut early next year rather than alongside the next-generation console.
Microsoft is currently planning an Xbox event for May (http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/8/4195954/microsoft-planning-xbox-event-for-may) where we expect the company to detail parts of its next-generation Xbox. A spokesperson for Microsoft refused to comment on this story.
But it won't play used games. That's a loss.The VGleaks said it can run used games.
I wonder if I could even take a game to a friends place.
$150 and it can only play games you download? Terrible idea. The most that they could charge for such a gimped system is $99 IMO. Hell, you are better off just getting a regular Xbox 360 since you can do the same thing plus play DVDs and disc games.You do know you can can play XBLA and retail games on it just downloaded. It makes a lot of sense. Is cheap quite and does a lot. Microsoft also has been having sales similar in scope to steam sales.
Well, as I said the price point is my personal thought. So they could easily make it $99.99. If they want to compete with Apple TV that would be a fair price.Sony has been putting its Multi-player games as free to play up to a certain level for a while now. Always thought Microsoft should have done that for Halo 3 multiplayer or Shadowrun.
Though, $150.00 wouldn't be an unreasonable price, if the system came with 64 GB hard drive which is up-gradable, a controller, 1 GB RAM, Wifi and Eithernet port, a pre-installed game or two. Heck if they can pre-install Halo 4 or a version of Halo 4 multi-player then you have yourself a winner.
Of course I would rather have a lower price point. But, I am thinking about what MS might try to price it as, so that it can make a profit...and I think that price would be reasonable.
And you can get a non-gimped Xbox 360 for $150, and it will do everything this gimped versions can PLUS play disc-based games and DVDs. So why not get the regular version? Unless the gimped one has like a 500GB hard drive.I think I agree with you on looking at this today. However, I think they plan to discontinue any new 360s with disc drives when the 720 is released.
The Roku and AppleTV can't play Xbox Live games, but they also don't require a subscription to Xbox Live to function.Sounds like the OUYA can jump in that category now. It does media streaming like Roku and AppleTV and you can play many Android games on it and you don't need a subscription. The only problem is the choice of games is not as high quality as XBL games.
Meh, its a vastly over-rated "game" anyways.
There is an object. Slay the Ender Dragon. Hell, the game even has an ending.Really?
There is an object. Slay the Ender Dragon. Hell, the game even has an ending.Really?
I have never even heard of the Ender Dragon. I know more than one Minecraft addict.
So... Is it a Monster Hunter like fight?
Gather Mats, Build Weapon and Armor, then Kill Dragon?
I'm trying to wrap my head around why people are excited for yet another Minecraft launch. It has been on PC for years, Xbl for quite some time as well as Android. Is it just people reveling in sales or do people actually want to buy it despite it being available in a dozen other forms?Probably reveling in sales. Minecraft has become extremely popular with kids but there are still a lot of people without internet. My younger cousin likes to play Mincraft on my tablet and my 360 every time he comes over. With this being $20 he's probably going to pester his mom until he gets a copy. I can see this doing really well.
Oblivion: If you just described the entire game...you could not pay me to play that game...it sounds completely boring, and you lost me at farming for materials. I hate that aspect of almost any game.
Oblivion: If you just described the entire game...you could not pay me to play that game...it sounds completely boring, and you lost me at farming for materials. I hate that aspect of almost any game.
I spent three hours farming for a Titanite Slab in Dark Souls and I will never forgive myself for it.
Microsoft's smartwatch is said to be in the prototype phase, with teams who have worked on Xbox accessories and the Kinect sensor focused on the device. We're told it features removable bands attached to a 1.5-inch touch display. One prototype includes the same magnetic power connector that Microsoft uses on its Surface tablets (http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/19/3096454/microsoft-surface-tablet-power-data-connector). The MagSafe-like connector is made up of five pins and can transmit both power and data, but we're told this is only a prototype and a final design may omit the connector.
If it does all the monitoring those type of devices can then I be game. None of the current ones really work with Windows Phone.Its the main reason why I look forward to this. I want a fitbit but also want to switch too Windows Phone as well.
Yeah, core UI I love my WinPhone but Apps and Accessories are a little lacking.If it does all the monitoring those type of devices can then I be game. None of the current ones really work with Windows Phone.Its the main reason why I look forward to this. I want a fitbit but also want to switch too Windows Phone as well.
Frontier Development’s follow-up game to its award winning ThrillVille series, was Microsoft Zoo. A game that aimed to take the venerable Zoo Tycoon franchise in an exciting new direction.(http://abload.de/img/0_82352000_1350172652dca90.jpg)
Part zoo creation and part animal interaction, this 3rd person adventure was all charm and lay the groundwork for what would eventually become Kinectimals. Zoo was also the first game in Frontier to use the then relatively new Scaleform SDK for its GUI development.
Zoo was aimed as a family product and the art style of the UI was designed to target the game’s key demographics of families and children “tweens”. With the GUI artist coming from a marketing background and having worked with the similarly targeted brands of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, the goal was to design a GUI that was fun and inviting to use for kids and adults alike.
For the look of the GUI, inspiration was taken from junior arts, paper-craft and imaginary journals that could be kept by characters from adventures such as Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn and Tarzan. Using mainly earthy hues, saturated colours and combined with hand drawn illustrations and woodcut style prints, Frontier aimed to create a rich and colourful interface that matched the vibrancy and charm of the Zoo game world.
(http://Details remain sketchy, but sources confirm that MSN is interested in relaunching the once red-hot NBC Universal franchise with new stories and heroes, while mixing in cameos from the original series’ cast (schedules and interest permitting). The talks are said to be in the preliminary stages.In February, MSN hired former NBC development executive Jada Miranda to oversee production of its fledgling Xbox entertainment studio under ex-CBS president Nancy Tellem (who came on board last fall).[i]Heroes[/i]‘ four-season run on NBC ended in February 2010.)
So Microsoft is producing TV programs now? First PC software, then video games, now TV shows? What will they think of next? An Xbox music label?No they don't want to be like sony.....No one does.
I'm assuming Microsoft wants to become the next Sony, a company that has its hands in everything entertainment.
Wait a minute, Nintendo did that with the Wii for the Name.
New Xbox. Stupid Name. Feel the Future.
I don't think they are going to do that but, why would they split them.
Here’s what I know about the next Xbox (along with some clearly-identified conjecture).
Early announce. The initial reveal date was pushed back from April 24 to May 21 so that Microsoft could better position the device against the PlayStation 4, which Sony announced in late February.
Full (end user) announce. Microsoft will fully reveal details about the next Xbox, including the launch lineup of games, on the eve of the E3 tradeshow in early June 2013.
Developer announce? It appears that Microsoft will discuss the next Xbox developer platform at the Build conference in San Francisco in late June, based on clues on the Build web site.
Launch. The next Xbox will launch in early November 2013.
Windows 8 Core. The next Xbox is based on the "Core" (base) version of Windows 8. This suggests a common apps platform or at least one that is similar to that used by Windows 8, and further than Microsoft could open up this platform to enthusiast developers. (That last bit is supposition on my part.)
Price. Microsoft will initially offer two pricing models for the console, offering a standalone version for $499 and then a $299 version that requires a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at an expected price of $10 per month.
No entertainment box. Microsoft originally planned to offer both a “full” version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, codenamed “Yuma,” that did not provide video gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever).
Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.
Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be internet-connected to use. This is source of the “always on”/“always online” rumors and isn’t as Draconian as many seem to believe.
Another Xbox 360. Microsoft will also deliver a third generation Xbox 360 console this year that will be significantly less expensive than the current models. The new 360 is codenamed “Stingray,” but it’s not clear if this device is required because the next Xbox isn’t backwards compatible, or because Microsoft simply wants a low-cost entertainment box alternative. (A third possibility, and to be clear these possible reasons are all speculative: The 360 simply has life left in it and with dwindling component prices in the 8 years since the original launch, the firm can still make money selling such a device.)
Some info from Paul Thurrot who is a pretty reliable Microsoft Journalist.QuoteHere’s what I know about the next Xbox (along with some clearly-identified conjecture).
Early announce. The initial reveal date was pushed back from April 24 to May 21 so that Microsoft could better position the device against the PlayStation 4, which Sony announced in late February.
Full (end user) announce. Microsoft will fully reveal details about the next Xbox, including the launch lineup of games, on the eve of the E3 tradeshow in early June 2013.
Developer announce? It appears that Microsoft will discuss the next Xbox developer platform at the Build conference in San Francisco in late June, based on clues on the Build web site.
Launch. The next Xbox will launch in early November 2013.
Windows 8 Core. The next Xbox is based on the "Core" (base) version of Windows 8. This suggests a common apps platform or at least one that is similar to that used by Windows 8, and further than Microsoft could open up this platform to enthusiast developers. (That last bit is supposition on my part.)
Price. Microsoft will initially offer two pricing models for the console, offering a standalone version for $499 and then a $299 version that requires a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at an expected price of $10 per month.
No entertainment box. Microsoft originally planned to offer both a “full” version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, codenamed “Yuma,” that did not provide video gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever).
Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.
Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be internet-connected to use. This is source of the “always on”/“always online” rumors and isn’t as Draconian as many seem to believe.
Another Xbox 360. Microsoft will also deliver a third generation Xbox 360 console this year that will be significantly less expensive than the current models. The new 360 is codenamed “Stingray,” but it’s not clear if this device is required because the next Xbox isn’t backwards compatible, or because Microsoft simply wants a low-cost entertainment box alternative. (A third possibility, and to be clear these possible reasons are all speculative: The 360 simply has life left in it and with dwindling component prices in the 8 years since the original launch, the firm can still make money selling such a device.)
also the new head of Lionhead is the former director fo Cryptic studios meaning at least one their projects is an MMO. I'm guessing a Fable MMO and a more traditional new IP rpg.
...Because the Zune Brand did not take off like Microsoft wanted to and they are rebranding all their entertainment efforts under the XBox brand.
But why call it an Xbox if it doesn't play games?
...
Some info from Paul Thurrot who is a pretty reliable Microsoft Journalist.QuoteHere’s what I know about the next Xbox (along with some clearly-identified conjecture).
Early announce. The initial reveal date was pushed back from April 24 to May 21 so that Microsoft could better position the device against the PlayStation 4, which Sony announced in late February.
Full (end user) announce. Microsoft will fully reveal details about the next Xbox, including the launch lineup of games, on the eve of the E3 tradeshow in early June 2013.
Developer announce? It appears that Microsoft will discuss the next Xbox developer platform at the Build conference in San Francisco in late June, based on clues on the Build web site.
Launch. The next Xbox will launch in early November 2013.
Windows 8 Core. The next Xbox is based on the "Core" (base) version of Windows 8. This suggests a common apps platform or at least one that is similar to that used by Windows 8, and further than Microsoft could open up this platform to enthusiast developers. (That last bit is supposition on my part.)
Price. Microsoft will initially offer two pricing models for the console, offering a standalone version for $499 and then a $299 version that requires a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at an expected price of $10 per month.
No entertainment box. Microsoft originally planned to offer both a “full” version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, codenamed “Yuma,” that did not provide video gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever).
Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.
Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be internet-connected to use. This is source of the “always on”/“always online” rumors and isn’t as Draconian as many seem to believe.
Another Xbox 360. Microsoft will also deliver a third generation Xbox 360 console this year that will be significantly less expensive than the current models. The new 360 is codenamed “Stingray,” but it’s not clear if this device is required because the next Xbox isn’t backwards compatible, or because Microsoft simply wants a low-cost entertainment box alternative. (A third possibility, and to be clear these possible reasons are all speculative: The 360 simply has life left in it and with dwindling component prices in the 8 years since the original launch, the firm can still make money selling such a device.)
also the new head of Lionhead is the former director fo Cryptic studios meaning at least one their projects is an MMO. I'm guessing a Fable MMO and a more traditional new IP rpg.
Microsoft was going to make an Xbox that didn't play videogames? So those rumors about an "Xbox TV" set top box were true. But why call it an Xbox if it doesn't play games?
And having 2 SKUs that are $200 apart makes no sense, unless the more expensive one has more features like the Wii U Deluxe bundle.
I am actually OK with Microsoft dropping the 360 name, and not adding a new number. Just calling it an Xbox Marketing will be easier and pretty cool. But I am sure collectors and such will hate dealing with the names being similar. First generation and third generation.
You know I really like that one game on the Xbox :D :D :DThat one game being Kinect Star Wars.
All i know is that it was on a system called the 'Xbox'.You know I really like that one game on the Xbox :D :D :DThat one game being Kinect Star Wars.
Another thing developers and publishers will have more control over with next-gen Xbox games is the way achievements are used and updated.
With the next Xbox, developers and publishers will be able to add more achievements to a game after launch, without the need to add DLC. This is designed specifically to allow developers to tweak player behavior, perhaps urging players to check out specific areas of a game or get past a difficult spot. Next-gen achievements can also be tied to broader events, like a weekend challenge or a communal goal, like contributing a set number of kills to the bigger goal of 10,000 kills over one weekend. Companies can also create cross-title achievements, like awarding points for finishing the first chapter in two different and unrelated games published by the same company. Some of these bigger, cross-title, communal achievements will be a requirement for all titles.
Microsoft is playing around with cross-platform achievements as well. Ideally, these achievements could be earned by playing a game on the next-gen system and then using a companion app, a website or maybe even by playing a specific game, like a prequel to a next-gen title, on the Xbox 360.[/qupte]
On Video sharingQuoteLike the recently announced PlayStation 4, the still-unnamed next Xbox will include the ability to capture video highlights of gameplay and then share them through networks like Facebook and Ustream.
In February, during the official PlayStation 4 unveiling (http://www.polygon.com/2013/2/20/4008722/ps4-reveal-details), Sony officials detailed the heightened importance of sharing game experiences. The ability to share a snapshot from a game or show off a gameplay video is so important that a "share" button is incorporated into that upcoming console's new controller.
Pressing the PS4's share button (http://www.polygon.com/2013/2/20/4006146/playstation-4-streaming-ps3-games-playstation-cloud-gaikai) allows players to begin capturing their own gameplay in real time and then broadcast it to their friends using social networks.
Microsoft is also trying to come up with a system for video sharing though all of the details are still being locked down. According to our sources, currently the next Xbox will capture your gameplay as if it were a DVR, allowing you to go back and select highlights. That function can be turned on or off, or a player can set up the console to automatically capture a recording when certain in-game events occur, like a headshot or collecting a specific achievement. Auto capturing those "magic moments" will be a feature only available on next-gen games.
Those videos can then be uploaded directly from the console to social sites, like YouTube, for sharing.
On Always onQuoteSources tell Polygon that the next Xbox will indeed have some form of an always-on requirement (http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/5/4186676/always-on-consoles-unease-xbox-adam-orth-microsoft). That will be both to support the suite of non-gaming entertainment applications that will be launched alongside the console, like streaming video services, but also as a possible anti-piracy tool. Currently, the console will support digital rights management and anti-piracy checks using an internet connection. Under Microsoft's current guidelines, which may still be changed, the decision of whether a game will require an internet connection to work and if that is a one-time authentication or a constant connection, will be left up to individual publishers.
The next Xbox will allow publishers to decide if their games should require an internet connection to be played.
The fact that offline gameplay, always online and one-time checks are supported, means that in the future, publishers will have much greater control over copyright protection for their games.
Another thing developers and publishers will have more control over with next-gen Xbox games is the way achievements are used and updated.
You lost me after PolygonHow so?
"Sponsored by Internet Explorer 9" (c)
The ideas are pretty bad. It continues the gross perversion of what games are about. It getting less and less about simple escapism and having some fun and more about how to trap players into hamster wheels.
If a game is that good in the first place, you wouldn't need all these tricks to keep them playing.
I never understand when people whine about Achievements. You do realize they are OPTIONAL? They don't impact the game itself, so ignore them if you don't like them. Most people do like them, they make the game more fun and encourage people to try stuff they might not have (for example, it's encouraged me to try different modes I normally would have ignored).
I don't mind those Achievements, and they have become less common over time. There are pages devoted to stupid achievements (like ones that require you to reach the #1 spot on the global leaderboard, or basically any online-only achievement).
Achievements are more meaningful than something like a high score table.
Microsoft should do always online DRM, but allow you to play offline for an additional $10 purchase... per each gaming session.
I just had a brilliant idea. Microsoft should do always online DRM, but allow you to play offline for an additional $10 purchase.
Forget on-disc DLC and season passes, THIS IS THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER EXPLOITATION
A reliable source—one who was not part of our reporting about the Respawn game—tells us that Microsoft is as much as six months behind in producing content for the new console, despite an expected late-2013 launch. Another tells us that Microsoft recently cancelled several internal next-gen projects because they were not coming together as hoped. These sources have told us that, comparatively, Sony is in better shape and further along with hardware and software development for PlayStation 4.
I have a distinct feeling that Sony has been planning for this next gen longer then both Nintendo and Microsoft.It's felt that way. They announced at seemingly the right time (Nintendo announced over a year before the system released and MS has been said to be scrambling to put together a presentation, even delaying it a month from the original date they were going to use). They seem to have software ready for it and they are not requiring an always-on internet connection for it to work. I think MS wishes they could wait until 2014 to release their system, but feel it'll be too late. Nintendo launched possibly too early but since the system is less powerful than the other two, they had to do it.
Been on a semi blackout plus a bit tied of all the rumors and such. But Two weeks with Google i/o next week to distract me.aww.... thats no fun....
Ars Technia is reporting that the system can be used online and the online only came from Dev kits having that feature to keep track of them.
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/05/microsoft-next-xbox-will-work-even-when-your-internet-doesnt/ (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/05/microsoft-next-xbox-will-work-even-when-your-internet-doesnt/)
Lucid Games the racing studio made of former Bizzare guys and wh is rumored to be working on a PGR5 with Rare is showing their project mid may which falls with the xbox event.
Looks like next gen blinked on the always online thing. I suspect they wanted it, but the leaks and the backlash convinced them it was a bad move. I mean, why have always online dev kits unless you wanted that option?
I just hope Microsoft doesn't make their next controller look as ugly as the PS4 one.
Also, what do you guys think of the new IllumiRoom concept that Microsoft is developing? I saw a concept video on YouTube, and it looks incredibly innovative.
So it looks like the PS4 and NextBox will be pretty evenly matched. And Sony seems to have learned from the PS3's bottlenecks; the PS4's 8GB of DDR5 RAM is amazing.
There’s one feature of Xbox One from which we can infer quite a few conclusions: You can install any game from the disc to the console’s hard drive, and then play that game whenever you like without having to put the disc in. Wired asked Microsoft if installation would be mandatory. “On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play,” the company responded in an emailed statement. Sounds mandatory to us.http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/05/xbox-one-analysis/
What follows naturally from this is that each disc would have to be tied to a unique Xbox Live account, else you could take a single disc and pass it between everyone you know and copy the game over and over. Since this is clearly not going to happen, each disc must then only install for a single owner.
Microsoft did say that if a disc was used with a second account, that owner would be given the option to pay a fee and install the game from the disc, which would then mean that the new account would also own the game and could play it without the disc.
But what if a second person simply wanted to put the disc in and play the game without installing – and without paying extra? In other words, what happens to our traditional concept of a “used game”? This is a question for which Microsoft did not yet have an answer, and is surely something that game buyers (as well as renters and lenders) will want to know.
And what of the persistent rumors that Xbox One games will be “always online” – that is, that single-player games would require a constant online connection to function? As it turns out, those rumors were not unfounded, but the reality is not so draconian. Xbox One will give game developers the ability to create games that use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service, which means that they might be able to offload certain computing tasks to the cloud rather than process them on the Xbox One hardware itself. This would necessitate the game requiring a connection.
Are developers forced to create games that have these online features, and are thus not playable offline? They are not, Xbox exec Whitten said to Wired — but “I hope they do.” So the always-online future may come in incremental steps.
I thought the tv features and use of Kinect was really cool.I am actually pretty excited on Kinect 2.0! Just reduce the lag and ship good games (or even "experiences" such as Double Fine's Happy Action Theater) and i'm there!
So whats the reaction of the various nerds around the internet? I'm at work so viewing is limited.
The big Halo announcement is a TV show? Good heavens...
It sucks about the used game thing but its a good thing as used games are bad for the industry as a whole.
I am not impressed by anything it is offering and will not buy One.
Still people keep saying this was worst than the PS4 but how so?
Still people keep saying this was worst than the PS4 but how so?
I'm not a big Sony fan, but the PS4 announcement had better tech, better games, and better people talking about the system.
Also why do people seem to igore the fact that gamers aren't the only market and in the long run were a pretty small one.Hmmmm... Now where did i hear this argument before?..
"This "second install" fee is pretty baffling. Like, if this was just a wrist slap charge, $5-$10, tons of people would just go in on a game and pass it around, paying a deeply discounted price. So I'm guessing the fee will NOT be trivial. That, and how much will games cost in the first place? "
Hense why MS requires an internet connection--it's going check and mostly likely ban consoles that have the same games installed on them. If you sell your game you'll going have to remove it from the HDD otherwise risk being banned when the other gamer activates it at the same time you do.
Also why do people seem to igore the fact that gamers aren't the only market and in the long run were a pretty small one.Hmmmm... Now where did i hear this argument before?..
The tables has turned.
MS is the odd one out since Sony confirmed that their ps4 games don't have used-DRM.
No shingi_70, Xbox One requires internet, it doesn't have to be on 100%. Kinda like Steam, you can install the game then play in offline mode.
The Xbox One's 50GB Blu-ray discs will automatically rip to your 500GB harddrive, Microsoft tells us, and it looks like you won't have to wait 'til they're done to get going. That's according to the Xbox One landing page on Xbox.com, spotted by our friends at Joystiq, which says, "With Xbox One, you can start playing immediately as games install. And updates install seamlessly in the background, so your games and entertainment won't be interrupted."
Things that I have learned from the Xbox One reveal:
- The name "Wii U" is not the dumbest name for a video game console.
- When EA claims to have an unprecedented partnership with you it might be a sign that they will double cross you in the future.
- Most consumers will think that "Xbox One" refers to the original Xbox system.
- Nintendo Land was a better presentation that motion captured dogs ( and that is saying a whole lot).
- Sales will be slower due to DRM.
- It makes me more confident for Nintendo and the Wii's future.
- Microsoft will probably go bankrupt.
Ugh... The worst part about the conference was all the "WOOOOOOOO" going on for what seemed like the most mundane announcements. It felt so forced.
Ugh... The worst part about the conference was all the "WOOOOOOOO" going on for what seemed like the most mundane announcements. It felt so forced.
Personally, the most exciting gaming news of that last few days came when I decided to order a racing wheel for all the games in my Steam account. In my opinion, the MS and Sony reveals were fairly similar. Both seemed more focused on the non-gaming aspects of the systems. To me, where they truly diverged was where they each decided to place their focus when they actually spoke about the games. Sony's biggest splash came when they demonstrated how much they were working to get indie devs on board. MS seems to be doubling down on AAA games. I don't think either is a winning strategy on their own.
That said, how many people are going to buy either console at launch? Obviously, price will be a determining factor, but I bought my first 360 maybe 6 months after launch. That's right, my first 360. I'm on to my fourth 360 thanks to the infamous RROD. Has anybody forgiven/forgotten the MS's past sins? I won't be purchasing for at least a year to see if there are any design defects with the new consoles. I'll probably cut Sony some slack, since I still have a functioning launch window PS3 with backward compatibility and all.
Also, for all the **** that Nintendo takes, Microsoft really picked a crappy name for their console. Can we please stop letting the biggest tools in the company's marketing department name these things?
...
Its odd the gamers seem to hate this press conference but i'm seeing a lot of positives coming from pure tech and mainstream media. Reading the comments on gaf (Uber negative) vs the comments from the verge (positive) is pretty interesting.
...
...
Its odd the gamers seem to hate this press conference but i'm seeing a lot of positives coming from pure tech and mainstream media. Reading the comments on gaf (Uber negative) vs the comments from the verge (positive) is pretty interesting.
...
Maybe it depends on what you want the console to be? For straight gaming, some of the decisions (and focus of the show) really aren't that appealing -- but for an all-in-one living room tech solution it might seem more exciting?
I'm not really in the market for an integrated entertainment solution though.
UPDATE: Microsoft says in an official Q&A: "We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to share later."
There was some stuff out there about different stories from an MS exec and MS support. Seems like a bit of a clusterfark.
But what if you want to bring a game disc to a friend's house and play there? You'll have to pay a fee—and not just some sort of activation fee, but the actual price of that game—in order to use a game's code on a friend's account. Think of it like a new game, Harrison said.
- Microsoft will probably go bankrupt.
(http://i.imgur.com/DvilFfz.png)
No, it does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet.(http://i.imgur.com/tqwYwPA.gif)
I don't mind the name "Xbox One." It's fine. Plain, but I think that's the point. It's meant to gets out of the way. You're not supposed to think about it. "Want to play Xbox?" It's like back in the day when people said, "Want to play Nintendo?" No one is getting Xbox One confused with the original Xbox because Microsoft dumped it like eight years ago. They're not going from Xbox directly to Xbox One. I know this sounds like a double standard, but this is nothing like Wii U. The problem with the name "Wii U" is that the Blue Ocean people, presumably the entire reason Nintendo stuck to the Wii name, didn't and probably still don't know what a Wii U is because they were conditioned not to. Besides Live, Microsoft generally doesn't call things Xbox-something like Nintendo did with Wii (e.g. Sports, Play, Fit etc). Really, Nintendo should just call their next console "Nintendo."
used games are bad for the industry as a whole.
considering development costs vs reward, used games aren't very helpful to the industry as a whole
http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2012/07/02/the-rise-of-costs-the-fall-of-gaming/ (http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2012/07/02/the-rise-of-costs-the-fall-of-gaming/)considering development costs vs reward, used games aren't very helpful to the industry as a whole
You're right. I mean, used games just allow gamers to play a wider variety of games instead of restricting their purchases to specific games they interest at specific price points.
Let's continue to assume that the used video game market is totally different from any other used product market.
http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2012/07/02/the-rise-of-costs-the-fall-of-gaming/ (http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2012/07/02/the-rise-of-costs-the-fall-of-gaming/)
I wonder if Sony will throw in the DRM now that Microsoft have made the first move.
so always online and no used games are apparently pretty much confirmed
so always online and no used games are apparently pretty much confirmed
Did you watch the reveal or read any of the interviews? Because you would know neither are true.
Quote from: shingi_70used games are bad for the industry as a whole.
Yeah yeah. And used car sales are killing the auto industry... Used TV sales are killing the TV industry... Bull ****.
Sony's stock has gone up 9%.
http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=SNE+Interactive#symbol=sne;range=5y;compare=;indicator=volume;charttype=area;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=off;source=undefined; (http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=SNE+Interactive#symbol=sne;range=5y;compare=;indicator=volume;charttype=area;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=off;source=undefined;)
Publishers would love to get a cut of used sales, but the problem is figuring out a way to do it. Microsoft is apparently going the route of having your games tied to your Xbox Live account and making you have to sell it for full price if you want to sell it.
Publishers would love to get a cut of used sales, but the problem is figuring out a way to do it. Microsoft is apparently going the route of having your games tied to your Xbox Live account and making you have to sell it for full price if you want to sell it.
I still don't understand the point of that. You can only sell your copy, which is now used, for the same price as a brand new game? Why the crap would I buy it off you? I would just go to a store and buy a sealed copy.
Publishers would love to get a cut of used sales, but the problem is figuring out a way to do it. Microsoft is apparently going the route of having your games tied to your Xbox Live account and making you have to sell it for full price if you want to sell it.
Publishers would love to get a cut of used sales, but the problem is figuring out a way to do it. Microsoft is apparently going the route of having your games tied to your Xbox Live account and making you have to sell it for full price if you want to sell it.
Which logically means that you have to buy it at full price as well. I don't think the market's going to take well to a system where the publishers/Microsoft alone get to determine how much a game is worth indefinitely. Many people don't buy a game at launch for the full price, and this will pretty much ensure that they never buy the game.
As for today's reveal, it basically ensured that I will not buy an Xbox One, thus making me interested in the PS4 again. No backwards compatibility, a mandatory once-every-24 hour "check-in"/"call home" policy, price controls on Second-hand software, mandatory Kinect, the absurd amount of focus on TV integration, their general smug douche-iness on stage today, and their general lack of interesting software just completely turned the system. Looks like this next generation is Sony's to lose...surprisingly.
Publishers would love to get a cut of used sales, but the problem is figuring out a way to do it. Microsoft is apparently going the route of having your games tied to your Xbox Live account and making you have to sell it for full price if you want to sell it.
Sell it full price? No way you're getting full price for a game you sell. More likely is Microsoft setting up a trade-in system similar to Gamestop. Sell it close after launch, get more money. The more you wait to sell it the less money they'll give you. They in turn get to set whatever price they like. It's not like they'll be competing with any other retailer for used games.
Phil Harrison plainly said that if you sell a game to someone, they will have to pay the same price you did. So if you paid $50 for a game, the person you sell it to will have to pay $50 as well (or whatever the new cost of the game is when you sell it).
Phil Harrison plainly said that if you sell a game to someone, they will have to pay the same price you did. So if you paid $50 for a game, the person you sell it to will have to pay $50 as well (or whatever the new cost of the game is when you sell it).
Right. What I was trying to say though is that you won't get $50 for selling that game. You'll get 30, or 20 or whatever price Microsoft says.
With the reactions today, I would not be surprised to see some things change by launch this holiday season.
We are still months away from the launch of Xbox One & policy decisions are still being finalized.
The Xbox One controller has a new proprietary slot, so IGN speculates that there will be new headsets designed specifically for it and that they could be even better.
The amount of backlash (Soon to become blowback) for the Xbone is near universal. Even professional sites like Gamasutra had bile and venom in their posts. The only way they could have done worse in that reveal was to commit terrorism.
No amount of backpedal is going to help. They have lost the trust of their supporters.
The Xbox One controller has a new proprietary slot, so IGN speculates that there will be new headsets designed specifically for it and that they could be even better.
Sweet, so a headset that serves no other purpose outside of the Xbone? I hope this means they'll overcharge for what would be the equivalent of an average headset otherwise. I was wondering if they'll follow up on these practices after their amazing hardrive and usb wifi dongles that were releases for the 360. MS never disappoints. ;)
Even for a placeholder, that's horrible price to be advertised as. I think Microsoft has a lock for the 21th Blunder of the Century title with this one.
I'm not Microsoft's target market if the announcement was indicative of the focus they're taking with the Xbox One, but I have some curiosity over the "used games" rumors.
If "purchasing" your friends' license for a game forces you to pay full price ($60), I see it as a big turn-off. But if you could set your own price that you could sell it to a friend, then I would be interested to see how the consumers handle it.
Microsoft could set up an amazon-esque store where when you pull up the game, you could buy a digital license from microsoft directly, and then below there would be users selling their copy for various prices. Publishers get the normal cut for the copy bought from microsoft, but if it's a used sale, they get a lower percentage of the cost of those sales. This could possibly incentivize publishers to put the official copy on sale, limiting how many "used" licenses are sold, and by increasing the amount of purchases tied to accounts, this lowers the assumed value of the used copies due to the higher number of copies out there tied to accounts.
I doubt this would happen, but I'd love to see what kind of impact that would have on the marketplace. I don't have anything against the Gamestops of the world, but this is obviously a decision made to undercut their sales more than anything, and i'd wish console makers would at least try to make these restrictions as attractive as possible.
The physical copies are only there for people with download caps and people who want to have things up on a shelf.This.
MS continues climbing the ladder of crazy. Patents achievements for watching TV (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-24-microsoft-patents-awarding-achievements-for-watching-tv).
LOL Tom Baker. Trying to recall what ep that is from.no clue, haven't gotten into classic who much,
Face of Evil?
There goes my annual Super Bowl party. :(
I read a comment on Ars Technica that mentioned that patent. I figured it was old. No thank you, Microsoft. The implications of that patent can kindly get the **** out of my face. I know that's not a definite, but Microsoft is obviously thinking about it.There is also this:
This is winning.
(http://i.minus.com/iBzvb2JSpQNRM.gif)
That doesn't specify whether all games will be region locked or if that's decided on a per-game basis (like the 360). International gamers such as myself need to know!
I don't think that would be realistic to want to spend more money to print more unique discs/packages than they do now for no real financial incentive in North America or Asia.
I just thought of something else about the anti-used-game policy that really affects me personally. My favourite store is Willow Video Games, which is a local chain. I typically go there for used retro games but they naturally also have new games plus a big selection of used titles for the current systems. I'm smart enough to realize that their bread-and-butter aren't old Colecovision games. The used games for current systems would naturally be the bigger seller. With the Xbox One not offering this as an option a whole section of their product disappears. So what if they go under? I won't buy an Xbox One and I'm not going there to buy used versions of new games for $5 cheaper (and they don't do that anyway; their used games prices are noticably reduced from the new price). I'm mostly going there for old SNES and NES games but the elimination of used games could take all that down at the same time. A big chunk of the store traffic is people looking for used games for current systems and this allows them to also offer much more niche retro products that likely could not support a whole store on their own.This exactly what Microsoft wants sadly enough and is why I expect Sony to do it as well. This DRM means that gamers can only trade games in at authorized retails (gamestop, walmart, and other big chains) meaning the Console Maker/Publisher gets money from you either way.
I don't like the concept of locking out used games enough that I want the Xbox One to fail but now I see a way it could personally affect me, even if I choose not to participate.
Unfortunately for us the Writing has been on the wall for GameFly this whole Generation.
That would be the worst thing to come out of gamefly dissolving. I'm guessing Netflix dodged a bullet when they decided not to branch into games,Unfortunately for us the Writing has been on the wall for GameFly this whole Generation.
Dang it, so much for the Weekend Confirmed podcast. :(
In short: No.
In long: F**k no.
The Four Horsemen of the Western Publishers (Activision, EA, Ubi and 2K) want it too badly.
The Four Horsemen of the Western Publishers (Activision, EA, Ubi and 2K) want it too badly.Strangely for such a big publisher with an array of online games, Activision doesn't use online passes (at least for CoD they don't, i think). I can find some statements from them against used games sales, but they never went as hard on it as EA or even Sony.
I mean there is n o way that non-Microsoft loyalists will buy the console. It is going to bite them in the ass over the long term.If the price is right and the games are appealing to you, "console loyalty" should never prevent you from indulging yourself.
Strangely for such a big publisher with an array of online games, Activision doesn't use online passes (at least for CoD they don't, i think). I can find some statements from them against used games sales, but they never went as hard on it as EA or even Sony.
Any chance that the gaming community could persuade Microsft to drop their used game fees and DRM? I mean there is n o way that non-Microsoft loyalists will buy the console. It is going to bite them in the ass over the long term.
E3 is almost here, so I wanted to let you know how you can watch the Xbox E3 2013 Media Briefing show
“Xbox: A new Generation of Games Revealed.”
Watch the main event live at 12:30p ET/9:30a PT/16:30 GMT (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=E3+2013+Media+Briefing&iso=20130610T0930&p1=137&ah=1&am=30) via the live global stream that will be available on Xbox LIVE and Xbox.com (http://www.xbox.com/). If you are in the US or Canada, you can also watch the broadcast on Spike TV.
The show will be 90-minutes and be presented without commercial interruptions.
The full show will be available later in the day for viewing via video on demand on Xbox.com and Xbox LIVE.
PLUS That Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be hosting a live one-hour show from the show each day. During each hour we’ll take a closer look at some of the announcements, interviews with developers, gameplay and more.
I'm guessing they're going to announce it at build 2013.
A report last week that the next Xbox console won't allow independent game developers to self-publish on the Xbox One gave people yet another next-gen Xbox thing to stew about. But Microsoft's Xbox chief says that Xbox One will have some sort of indie-friendly program.
We're not necessarily in contradiction territory here but rather in—stop me if you've read this one before—the land of more-details-to-come.
"We're going to have an independent creator program," Don Mattrick, Microsoft's head of interactive entertainment (read: he's in charge of the Xbox), told me last week. "We're going to sponsor it. We're going to give people tools. We're going to give more information."
Mattrick mentioned this during my brief interview with him regarding the future of game consoles. We didn't get into self-publishing and he declined to share specifics just yet. He did, at least, praise the success of Minecraft and other indie-developed games and cited his own career trajectory. He may be an executive now, but back in the day, he was a game designer, starting young with racing games such as Test Drive.
"That is something we think—I think—is important," he said of an indie program. "That's how I started in the industry. There's no way we're going to build a box that doesn't support that."15 days till E3.[/t][/t][/t]
Thinking of getting a PS4 instead of a one this year. Can wait for one till next year.WHAAAAAAAT?? ZOMG!!
WHAAAAAAAT?? ZOMG!!That Xbox One unveiling was one haymaker to the nads after another. That might have something to do with it.
I am seriously shocked by this as you are pretty much the reason this thread is so active most of the time. What factors have led to your decision, shingi?
Thinking of getting a PS4 instead of a one this year. Can wait for one till next year.WHAAAAAAAT?? ZOMG!!
I am seriously shocked by this as you are pretty much the reason this thread is so active most of the time. What factors have led to your decision, shingi?
I don't think it was too bad, and Microsoft already said before the unveiling that the focus on games would be at E3.To each his own. I find the online and Kinect requirements troubling and whatever is happening with used games isn't helping their cause. Microsoft reps have either been dodging questions or giving vague/confusing answers. I hope they do a better job of explaining things at E3.
- Xbox One, PC
- Xbox 360 version developed by someone else
- Planned to target current gen, but realized that they couldn't run it
- Started to look into next gen and the answer they got from Microsoft intrigued them
- They said they needed to focus on fewer hardware. In the future they are open to more. They don't specify if it would be this project or another.
- Plan to use Microsoft's Cloud for dedicated servers and physics and AI calculations
- Campaign Multiplayer, "traditional" multiplayer mode, and a "One-Player Mode".
- Spring 2014 Release Date
- There are a good amount of screens. In my opinion it visually looks pretty nice.
- First person shooter
- "Mech" and ground combat
- "Mech's" are called Titans.
- They want these Titans to feel fast. They can dodge etc.
- If you don't want to pilot the Titan you can have it follow you, killing people as it goes along.
- Player characters are called Pilots (male and female)
- They are extremely agile. Can run on walls, multiple jumps.
- They can take down Titans. Jumping on them and shooting the "brain".
- You need to be cunning as a pilot. "Hit and fade" tactics is the term the game director uses.
- Pilots come equipped with a variety of weapons. Pistol, Assault Rifle, Anti-Titan Rocket Launcher, data knife used to hack AI characters into joining you.
- There are AI enemies on the maps.
- You survive longer than in COD. Making it more welcoming to newcomers.
- Source Engine. Building new engine = too much time.
- Source gives them 60 fps
- Modified Source - "Rewriting major portions of it".
- Article talks about the process of forming the team, being fired, prototyping ideas etc. I recommend reading it.
- Going for a District 9 or Blade Runner vibe.
- Integrate memorable single player moments into a multiplayer game.
- Storytelling style will be more Left 4 Dead.
- Humans segregated between Earth and frontier planets. Corporation trying to take the resources of these frontier people.
- Progression system. No details yet
MORE STUFF^pretty sure the above is incorrect as the PS4 uses 1-2GB for OS irrc.
A lot of the article has to do with Respawn's origins, actually.
So here's the exclusivity mention: They thought working on PS4, Xbox One and PC would prove too difficult for a small team, so they decided to focus on one console instead of two. (er...). "Not to say we won't [go multiplatform] in the future, but for our first game we wanted to focus on making the best game we could."
GI points how that the Xbox One has 5GB of GDDR3 ram available to devs, whereas PS4 has 8GB DDR5 ram, and asks if that's a problem for Respawn. He says they're having trouble even using the 5GB efficiently with all the new architecture tricks. (that is to say, even if they had 8GB they wouldn't know how to use it properly at this stage of development)
GI: "What XBox One lacks in RAM, it potentially makes up for in cloud computing." Talks about how the game will have unlimited dedicated servers for the game, offloading "a few dozen AI" and physics, says the game would be impossible without the cloud and wouldn't have attempted it. Still dealing with unfinished hardware and software, so it's "still a little rough going at times."
From the article about Titanfall:
"Thanks to the more open maps, healthy mix of enemy AI and real players, and the ultra-powerful titans, the gameplay loop in Titanfall is more accommodating to newcomers."
"Seeing a match play out on three different player screens in a short demo after the the target gameplay video, the average time of life seems drastically increased over the average Call of Duty, Battlefield, or Halo match."
Going to go dig for other gaming news before it gets yanked.
Spoke too soon, there are screenshots towards the end of the article. Smartglass integration, "some level of" Kinect support, Campaign Multiplayer, Regular Multiplayer, and some one player mode that isn't revealed yet.
From Titanfall article:
"Hulking 24-foot tall mechs concentrate heavy fire on anything that moves while lithe soldiers zip across the map with a swiftness normally reserved for superheroes"
"Legions of AI soldiers pour in and out of buildings on a large-scale battlefield as dropships deliver reinforcements from above"
Weapons of soldiers can vaporize multiple targets at once, but the mechs can repel shots back.
Blurs line between competitive multiplayer and single player.
"The titans move at the speed of a regular soldier in many first person shooters and feature an array of heavy firepower that make them formidable adversaries in open space"
Titans best offense is good defense.
Titans can be player controlled or can be commanded to guard an area or follow you around.
Xbox One will deliver new benefits for gamers that are only possible with a system designed from the ground up to be ready and connected. Here are just a few examples:[/size] [/color][/size]A new generation of games with power from the cloud: Because every Xbox One owner has a broadband connection, developers can create massive, persistent worlds that evolve even when you’re not playing. [/q]
[/font][/color]
- Your Xbox One is always ready: Xbox One is designed to run in a low-powered, connected state. This means your system, games and apps are always current and ready to play—no more waiting for updates.
- Stay connected to your friends: Never miss an opportunity to play games with your friends or to catch up with family on Skype. Use Skype in Snap mode to chat while you play games or watch TV. Or enjoy group video Skype calls with people around the world, all from the comfort of your living room.
- Access your entire games library from any Xbox One—no discs required: After signing in and installing, you can play any of your games from any Xbox One because a digital copy of your game is stored on your console and in the cloud. So, for example, while you are logged in at your friend’s house, you can play your games.
- Buy the way you want—disc or digital—on the same day: You’ll be able to buy disc-based games at traditional retailers or online through Xbox Live, on day of release.
- Networking TechnologiesA range of advanced technologies will make these scenarios possible, including: Superior wireless performance and coverage throughout the home: Xbox One is equipped with a gigabit Ethernet port and 802.11n wireless. With 802.11n, Xbox One can use the 5GHz wireless band which eliminates considerable interference from other devices in the home, such as cordless phones, Bluetooth devices and microwaves. Xbox One uses two wireless antennas, versus one in Xbox 360. This provides dramatically better coverage and sustained performance, which means faster internet speeds in more areas of your home.
- Faster connection to a world of smart devices: With Wi-Fi Direct, Xbox One can speak directly to smart wireless devices and connect to them through the cloud. This means your smartphone or tablet will interact with Xbox One seamlessly.
- Future proofed with power from the cloud: Microsoft has created a global network of more than 300,000 Xbox Live and Windows Azure servers, to help creators realize their visions of what is possible with a connected system.
- Networking RequirementsTo ensure Xbox One works optimally and can offer the experiences described above, it is designed with the following networking requirements: For an optimal experience, we recommend a broadband connection of 1.5Mbps. (For reference, the average global internet connection speed as measured recently by Akamai was 2.9 Mbps). In areas where an Ethernet connection is not available, you can connect using mobile broadband.
- While a persistent connection is not required, Xbox One is designed to verify if system, application or game updates are needed and to see if you have acquired new games, or resold, traded in, or given your game to a friend. Games that are designed to take advantage of the cloud may require a connection.
- With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies. [/l]License [/size][/font][/color]
QuoteWith our modern architecture, Xbox One games will load more quickly, will be always accessible from the cloud, and there is no physical limit to the size or scope of the content provided. Here are our platform policies and capabilities for game licensing – all of which will be made available when Xbox One launches later this year:Buy the way you want—disc or digital—on the same day: You’ll be able to buy disc-based games at traditional retailers or online through Xbox Live, on day of release. Discs will continue to be a great way to install your games quickly.[/q]
[/font][/color]
- Access your entire games library from any Xbox One—no discs required: After signing in and installing, you can play any of your games from any Xbox One because a digital copy of your game is stored on your console and in the cloud. So, for example, while you are logged in at your friend’s house, you can play your games.
- Share access to your games with everyone inside your home: Your friends and family, your guests and acquaintances get unlimited access to all of your games. Anyone can play your games on your console--regardless of whether you are logged in or their relationship to you.
- Give your family access to your entire games library anytime, anywhere: Xbox One will enable new forms of access for families. Up to ten members of your family can log in and play from your shared games library on any Xbox One. Just like today, a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time.
- Trade-in and resell your disc-based games: Today, some gamers choose to sell their old disc-based games back for cash and credit. We designed Xbox One so game publishers can enable you to trade in your games at participating retailers. Microsoft does not charge a platform fee to retailers, publishers, or consumers for enabling transfer of these games.
- Give your games to friends: Xbox One is designed so game publishers can enable you to give your disc-based games to your friends. There are no fees charged as part of these transfers. There are two requirements: you can only give them to people who have been on your friends list for at least 30 days and each game can only be given once.
- In our role as a game publisher, Microsoft Studios will enable you to give your games to friends or trade in your Xbox One games at participating retailers. Third party publishers may opt in or out of supporting game resale and may set up business terms or transfer fees with retailers. Microsoft does not receive any compensation as part of this. In addition, third party publishers can enable you to give games to friends. Loaning or renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners.As we move into this new generation of games and entertainment, from time to time, Microsoft may change its policies, terms, products and services to reflect modifications and improvements to our services, feedback from customers and our business partners or changes in our business priorities and business models or for other reasons. We may also cease to offer certain services or products for similar reasons.In the months ahead, we will continue to listen to your feedback as we meet with our partners in the ecosystem to bring additional detail about our policies.[/l]Privacy [/size][/font][/color]
QuoteXbox One and Kinect offer easy and approachable ways to control your games and entertainment with your voice and gestures. By recognizing you, Xbox One can tailor personal experiences and customize content just for you. At Microsoft, we prioritize your privacy. We understand that your personal data and privacy are important. Xbox One and Kinect will provide tools to put you in control of your data. These include:You are in control of what Kinect can see and hear: By design, you will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup. The system will navigate you through key privacy options, like automatic or manual sign in, privacy settings, and clear notifications about how data is used. When Xbox One is on and you’re simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded. [/q]
[/font][/color]
- You are in control of when Kinect sensing is On, Off or Paused: If you don’t want the Kinect sensor on while playing games or enjoying your entertainment, you can pause Kinect. To turn off your Xbox One, just say “Xbox Off.” When the system is off, it’s only listening for the single voice command -- “Xbox On,” and you can even turn that feature off too. Some apps and games may require Kinect functionality to operate, so you’ll need to turn it back on for these experiences.
- You are in control of your personal data: You can play games or enjoy applications that use data, such as videos, photos, facial expressions, heart rate and more, but this data will not leave your Xbox One without your explicit permission. Here are a few examples of potential future scenarios:A fitness game could measure heart rate data to provide you with improved feedback on your workout, allow you to track your progress, or even measure calories burned.
- A card game could allow you to bluff your virtual opponent using your facial expressions.
You can use other inputs to control your games, TV and entertainment experiences: While it’s faster to find what you’re looking for using your voice and gesture commands with Kinect, you can use a controller, your remote controls or your smart devices instead. And you can use all of these devices when Kinect is paused.
- We’ll have more information available as we get closer to product availability later this year.[/l]Welp **** that noise. the same the Wii U will be my nintendo box, looks like the Xbone will be my Microsoft box.[/font][/color]
can a family with multiple accounts share an xbox live subscription at all?
With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection, but you can still watch live TV and enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies.
It's gonna be great to finally get some real clarification on stuff when the system actually launches and everybody brings out the torches and pitchforksfixed :D
a system that has total control of your gaming habits and records you all the time, huumm, sounds alot like a product microsoft would make.Pfffff, Redmond just photocopied it from Valve.
Microsoft has confirmed that you will need to connect to the internet every 24 hours in order to play games offline. Also:
- No renting, no loaning. No private sales
- Trade-ins are up to the publisher and only at participating retailers. (This is the worst IMO.)
- You can give a game to a friend only if they have been on your friends list for 30 days, and then it is stuck with them.
- Up to 10 family members can play your games from any console at any time
http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/main
So yeah. Screw getting an Xbone.
And people were saying that Nintendo would be the one to go third party this gen.
Reading it over it sounds better than what I expected. Still on the fence though. I mean I personally the only real deal breaker is a fucking time limit to play software offline.
I really like the idea of a retail purchase also counting as a digital purchase. Still this means i'll be getting a PS4 and pushing it on family members. I mean I have a cousin who doesn't even own internet but likes to borrow my games and what not.
Won't the cost of live go up since it's essentially mandatory now?
Oh, hi shingi (http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1fv5yj/i_saw_microsoft_employees_monitoring_this/)!..
Won't the cost of live go up since it's essentially mandatory now?
Why? I haven't seen anything saying you need Xbox Live Gold to do it. There is already the free Xbox Live Silver, which I imagine would be enough for the verification.
I was listening to 8-4 Play today and they had a bonus segment tacked on about the announcement. They seemed to take great offense to the language about publishers "enabling" us to do the things we've always been able to do in the past. I'm curious as to whether MS could have softened the blow on this announcement any if they had been able to craft their press release a bit better.
And for those of us that are not planning to purchase a One, are there ANY games by ANY dev that would sway your mind? If MS comes out at E3 and really knocks it out, would you be willing to change your mind? And for those who are purchasing, is this still a launch day buy? Or do you wait a little while in the hopes that the blowback is so strong that MS possibly walks back some of their decisions? For that matter, what if Sony comes out and announces similar measures?
E3 was already set up to be really interesting this year, and it just got a whole lot of drama piled up on top.
But guys! If you don't but the Xbone day 1 you won't get that controller with the little brand at the center. Oh and the exclusive achievement!
I don't see how MS can do well this gen unless consumers are so blind as to not see better products when presented with them. The ONLY way I see MS hanging in there is if they backpedal from a lot of their stances and do a pricedrop on the Xbone (imagine that, a pricedrop before it has even launched lol). I can't really see them doing either though, they'll just keep throwing money at it to help it survive.
Had the xbox been created by any other company besides MS, it would've been dead a long time ago simply by the fact that they can let the money burn red for years on end it seems.
"Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity, it's called xbox 360"
Xbox One-Supported Xbox Live CountriesXbox One games are for activation and distribution only in specified geographic regions. See game package and/or retailer product information, for each game’s specific geographic regions.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Russia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States
I think its an indication of Microsoft not going into markets they made no money on both their other consoles.
Well they have a Japan Studio so i would assume that the system would launch their as well.
Man I'm really hoping the negative respones makes them backtrack like crazy. The new KI looks so damn awesome.
Well they have a Japan Studio so i would assume that the system would launch their as well.
Man I'm really hoping the negative respones makes them backtrack like crazy. The new KI looks so damn awesome.
Is there a pricing model for that yet?
Notice any major gaming markets missing from that list(hint: starts with a J, ends with APAN)? Does the mention about activation and distribution only in specified geographic regions indicate region locking? Could a limited launch indicate issues with MS's supply chain? For that matter, are Sony launching worldwide?
Wait, THAT was the final nail? I thought they already hammered through the coffin and was just bashing the cadaver...they nailed the final nail on the coffin containing the coffin containing the xbone
Pardon the double post, but Microsoft managed to reload.i am somehow tempted to get one just to get a bunch of 6 year olds on call of duty banned and start some riots
(http://i.imgur.com/fWpJY1n.jpg)
So basically, I'm going to report you all for existing on Xbone and you'll lose all your games.
Not to troll this thread, but unless Microsoft recants all of their rules for the Xbox One then there is no way in Hell I will ever own one.
It probably will be, but it's still a ridiculous policy. That's part of the absurdity of having to be online all the time. There's no reason to ever buy a disc with this system.
I'm not sure what will lead to console bans with this system (assuming they finally get anti-piracy protection done right), but if people start getting banned by the hundreds of thousands like they did with Xbox 360, and losing all of the content that they actually paid for, then I see this leading to a huge class-action lawsuit that Microsoft will lose.
That's shitty too, but Joe Shmoe probably doesn't realize that when they buy a disc at the store that they could have that content essentially stolen from them by Microsoft if their kid does something stupid with the console one day.
Considering you have to sign in every 24 hours to keep playing your game, I thought it would have been obvious that you lose your games if you get banned since you can no longer sign in. Besides, most people get banned from Xbox Live for modding their systems or being a total douche online.
I don't support illegal things like hacking Xbox Live, especially as all that does is hurt other consumers. If you don't like practices Microsoft is doing, just don't buy the Xbox One and encourage others to do the same. Doing stuff like hacking Xbox Live is just saying you are a douche and want other consumers to suffer.
I don't support illegal things like hacking Xbox Live, especially as all that does is hurt other consumers. If you don't like practices Microsoft is doing, just don't buy the Xbox One and encourage others to do the same. Doing stuff like hacking Xbox Live is just saying you are a douche and want other consumers to suffer.
Who is supporting or encouraging hackers?
Pokepal's comment makes it clear he would love for hackers to take down Xbox Live.
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.
This is HUGE. We won. MS got rid of it before it even came out. The buying public didn't reject the concept for it never was tested with them. The negative reaction at E3 from just a small chunk of the target market was enough to make MS change their minds.
Thought I'm not immediately going to jump on the Xbone bandwagon because of this. This affects the Wii U pretty significantly as it seemed that Nintendo was going to finish at least second by default but now that isn't the case. Nintendo would have benefitted greatly from MS trying this and having it fail miserably in the marketplace.
I'm not entirely sure Nintendo would have finished second had MS kept on course. Their price point is still a bit high in comparison.
Does anybody at MS lose their job over this fiasco(other than Adam Orth)? I'm still kind of surprised they did this; I thought for sure they'd let the One flounder for a bit before changing their minds.
Aw...i know, now what am i gonna do with all this popcorn
I wanted to see what the hackers would do.
Aw...i know, now what am i gonna do with all this popcorn
I wanted to see what the hackers would do.
I have to admit that I am genuinely surprised that Microsoft did this. Props to them. They ate humble pie and reneged. I guess I am just used to Nintendo's "don't give damn about anyone but our shareholders wallets" attitude that it feels weird. Foreign even.
This is HUGE. We won. MS got rid of it before it even came out. The buying public didn't reject the concept for it never was tested with them. The negative reaction at E3 from just a small chunk of the target market was enough to make MS change their minds.
Thought I'm not immediately going to jump on the Xbone bandwagon because of this. This affects the Wii U pretty significantly as it seemed that Nintendo was going to finish at least second by default but now that isn't the case. Nintendo would have benefitted greatly from MS trying this and having it fail miserably in the marketplace.
something about this seems off... idk something doesn't feel right for them to announce this a little over a week past e3
something seems fishy
something about this seems off... idk something doesn't feel right for them to announce this a little over a week past e3
something seems fishy
this news makes my thread title change behind the times....just add "nah just kidding" at the end
gonna have to come up with a new one.
Can Microsoft potentially reverse the DRM features down the line? For example, in 2015 when there are millions of One units in homes, can they just switch all this stuff back on and require a system update or you can no longer access Xbox Live? I feel like in the fine print of the Terms of Use, there's going to be some vague clause that allows them to do this.Yes. Yes they can. Its all Software. MS has shown they have no problem changing the Consoles look and Feel with the 360 and it looks like they put an out in there contract.
Can Microsoft potentially reverse the DRM features down the line? For example, in 2015 when there are millions of One units in homes, can they just switch all this stuff back on and require a system update or you can no longer access Xbox Live? I feel like in the fine print of the Terms of Use, there's going to be some vague clause that allows them to do this.
Most definitely. Would they? Doubtful, considering the shitstorm that would ensue would make this one look like a tea party.
i could see them finding an excuse to bring one or two things in down the line... but not the whole deal...Can Microsoft potentially reverse the DRM features down the line? For example, in 2015 when there are millions of One units in homes, can they just switch all this stuff back on and require a system update or you can no longer access Xbox Live? I feel like in the fine print of the Terms of Use, there's going to be some vague clause that allows them to do this.
Most definitely. Would they? Doubtful, considering the shitstorm that would ensue would make this one look like a tea party.
...First is family sharing, this feature is near and dear to me and I truly felt it would have helped the industry grow and make both gamers and developers happy. The premise is simple and elegant, when you buy your games for Xbox One, you can set any of them to be part of your shared library. Anyone who you deem to be family had access to these games regardless of where they are in the world. There was never any catch to that, they didn’t have to share the same billing address or physical address it could be anyone. When your family member accesses any of your games, they’re placed into a special demo mode. This demo mode in most cases would be the full game with a 15-45 minute timer and in some cases an hour. This allowed the person to play the game, get familiar with it then make a purchase if they wanted to. When the time limit was up they would automatically be prompted to the Marketplace so that they may order it if liked the game. We were toying around with a limit on the number of times members could access the shared game (as to discourage gamers from simply beating the game by doing multiple playthroughs). but we had not settled on an appropriate way of handling it. One thing we knew is that we wanted the experience to be seamless for both the person sharing and the family member benefiting. There weren’t many models of this system already in the wild other than Sony’s horrendous game sharing implementation, but it was clear their approach (if one could call it that) was not the way to go. Developers complained about the lost sales and gamers complained about overbearing DRM that punished those who didn’t share that implemented by publishers to quell gamers from taking advantage of a poorly thought out system. We wanted our family sharing plan to be something that was talked about and genuinely enjoyed by the masses as a way of inciting gamers to try new games.
The motto around the offices for the family plan was “It’s the console gaming equivalent to spotify and pandora” it was a social network within itself! The difference between the family sharing and the typical store demo is that your progress is saved as if it was the full game, and the data that was installed for that shared game doesn’t need to be erased when they purchase the full game! It gave incentive to share your games among your peers, it gave games exposure, it allowed old games to still generate revenue for publishers. At the present time we’re no longer going forward with it, but it is not completely off the table. It is still possible to implement this with the digital downloaded versions of games, and in fact that’s the plan still as far as I’m aware.
Is it its own stand-alone app?
No, it’s part of an upcoming version of the Xbox SmartGlass app and will function much like the current version. After you launch the app, it notices that Dead Rising is currently being played, press a button, and in kicks our phone. It actually skins your phone to be like the phone from the game’s universe.
You’ll get calls from a character that are only on the SmartGlass device. So if you don’t have SmartGlass, you won’t get those calls from that guy. Which also means you won’t get those missions.
Will you be able to finish the game without it?
You can finish the game without it. There’s plenty content as is without it. But we put some exclusives in the game for those who have a SmartGlass compatible device. Personally, I’m a child; I love gadgets, hearing a little ring… I can even customize the ringtones too… and hearing a little voice, that gives you exclusive missions.
So there’s a character unique to SmartGlass?
Yes. His storyline is his own. And it interweaves with the main storyline. Without it, you’re not losing out on what the story is. But you’re getting more out of the game.
Looks just like Windows 8...
Not complaining, just observing.
Microsoft no longer charges developers for Xbox 360 title updates, Eurogamer has been told by multiple development sources.
Microsoft made the policy change on the quiet earlier this year after charging developers tens of thousands of dollars to patch their games.
Microsoft has always charged a fee when developers first submit their games to Microsoft's certification process so they can be approved for release, and the company normally grants developers one title update free of charge. This remains the case, but sources have told Eurogamer that subsequent re-certification as a result of a title update is now free. This applies to Xbox Live Arcade games and full retail games.
There are caveats, we understand. If a developer is deemed to be making an excessive number of re-submissions due to an update failing certification, for example, Microsoft reserves the right to issue a charge. But the changes should make critics of Microsoft's closed platform happier - and align the Xbox ecosystem more closely with the likes of Steam
Update:Furthermore, we understand it is now the case that XBLA games are no longer charged for resubmission if they fail certification - there is a single charge for the first submission, but if it fails then the developer is not charged for resubmitting it.
This has apparently been added to assist smaller development teams who don't have the resources to test games as thoroughly as the larger publishers - although as with the title updates, Microsoft reserves the right to charge for excessive submissions
Its a decent update that does a good job of putting the Metro framework to replace the regular windows OS.
Today at Microsoft’s annual Build Conference in San Francisco, a new collaboration was announced with Unity Technologies, the provider of Unity multi-platform game engine and developer tools. Marking one step in our ongoing commitment to provide the best developer environment for creators, this collaboration will make it even easier for developers to bring popular games, entertainment and apps to Microsoft platforms.
Developers who build games published by Microsoft Studios now have access to Unity tools for Xbox 360 and Xbox One free of charge and can create interactive 3D and 2D experiences. Unity will develop tools for Xbox One, including support for features like multiplayer matchmaking, SmartGlass, enhanced Kinect gestures and recognition, and the power of the cloud.
Steven Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President and Chief Evangelist of Microsoft’s Developer & Platform Evangelism organization said, “Unity has established itself not only as an incredible development toolset and engine, but as a significant force for creative freedom and innovation in the games development community. With Unity’s commitment to support Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Xbox One and Xbox 360, Microsoft’s gaming ecosystem will benefit from the wealth of ideas and imagination flowing from the Unity games development community.”
At Xbox, ensuring that developers of all levels and sizes can bring their creations to life on Xbox One is mission critical. As we look ahead, we look forward to sharing more information on our plans to help empower everyone from the independent game developer looking to make publishing to the console easy to the app developer who wants to bring new experiences to the television.
Guggenheimer demonstrated remote debugging of a basic web application that appeared to be running on an Xbox One, noting that the app included an xbox.js library. "Nothing to announce today, but when I talk about that common core you're seeing that common core in action, being able to target other devices devices over time that run the Windows 8 engine," said Guggenheimer. He then proceeded to tease developers by encouraging them to develop Windows 8 apps in order to build Xbox One apps. "If you want to know about how to get a head start about thinking about developing for Xbox One, the logical thing to do is go build Windows 8 applications," said Guggenheimer
The development platform is still unclear, but Microsoft did note it will support native apps on Xbox One alongside web versions. It appears that developers may need to work with development tools that are almost identical to Windows 8 tools to create Xbox One apps. Microsoft also announced a new partnership with Unity to support all Microsoft platforms, including Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. The toolset lets developers more easily develop games to run across multiple platforms
Well Microsoft does co-develop and publish Gears franchise, so they own the IP. Similar to how Sony owns Resistance and Ratchet & Clank even though Insomniac is an independent 3rd-party developer.
Mattrick becoming the CEO of a failing digital-only company is just too appropriate. Hopefully, he'll finish that company off.
How does a F2P company even have $19m in revenue to waste on a Canadian?
I'll admit I am more interested in the Xbox One now that Microsoft's DRM policies are gone, but I just wish the damn thing didn't cost $500. It's the PS3 all over again; poor initial sales leading to multiple price cuts.
Consoles should not cost over $400. How will gaming become accessible to wider audiences if consoles cost so much? Good thing Nintendo is around to keep gaming affordable. Even Sony seems to have learned their lessons from launching the PS3 at $600.
Yeah I'm looking at the breakdown here. $5m 'sign on' bonus. $1m salary, $2m bonus (tax evasion) and $12m of stock. Since Zynga isn't worth a cent more than the price of their office equipment and we all know the stockmarket is hypothetical gambling, yeah I hope this works out really badly for the chief dorky dad..How does a F2P company even have $19m in revenue to waste on a Canadian?
Stockholders.
(I'd say idiots, but then I'd be redundant.)
That's $8 Million guaranteed. With a potential $12 Million on the table if he can sway investor opinion of Zynga.Yeah I'm looking at the breakdown here. $5m 'sign on' bonus. $1m salary, $2m bonus (tax evasion) and $12m of stock. Since Zynga isn't worth a cent more than the price of their office equipment and we all know the stockmarket is hypothetical gambling, yeah I hope this works out really badly for the chief dorky dad..How does a F2P company even have $19m in revenue to waste on a Canadian?
Stockholders.
(I'd say idiots, but then I'd be redundant.)
Specifically, our teams and their leaders will be these:Operating Systems Engineering Group. Terry Myerson will lead this group, and it will span all our OS work for console, to mobile device, to PC, to back-end systems. The core cloud services for the operating system will be in this group.[/color]
Devices and Studios Engineering Group. Julie Larson-Green will lead this group and will have all hardware development and supply chain from the smallest to the largest devices we build. Julie will also take responsibility for our studios experiences including all games, music, video and other entertainment.Applications and Services Engineering Group. Qi Lu will lead broad applications and services core technologies in productivity, communication, search and other information categories.Cloud and Enterprise Engineering Group. Satya Nadella will lead development of our back-end technologies like datacenter, database and our specific technologies for enterprise IT scenarios and development tools. He will lead datacenter development, construction and operation.
Dynamics. Kirill Tatarinov will continue to run Dynamics as is, but his product leaders will dotted line report to Qi Lu, his marketing leader will dotted line report to Tami Reller and his sales leader will dotted line report to the COO group.Advanced Strategy and Research Group. Eric Rudder will lead Research, Trustworthy Computing, teams focused on the intersection of technology and policy, and will drive our cross-company looks at key new technology trends.Marketing Group. Tami Reller will lead all marketing with the field relationship as is today. Mark Penn will take a broad view of marketing strategy and will lead with Tami the newly centralized advertising and media functions.
COO. Kevin Turner will continue leading our worldwide sales, field marketing, services, support, and stores as well as IT, licensing and commercial operations.Business Development and Evangelism Group. Tony Bates will focus on key partnerships especially our innovation partners (OEMs, silicon vendors, key developers, Yahoo, Nokia, etc.) and our broad work on evangelism and developer outreach. DPE, Corporate Strategy and the business development efforts formerly in the BGs will become part of this new group. OEM will remain in SMSG with Kevin Turner with a dotted line to Tony who will work closely with Nick Parker on key OEM relationships.Finance Group. Amy Hood will centralize all product group finance organizations. SMSG finance, which is geographically diffuse, will report to Kevin Turner with a dotted line to Amy.Legal Group. Brad Smith will continue as General Counsel with responsibility for law and corporate affairs and will map his team to the new organization.HR Group. Lisa Brummel will lead Human Resources and map her team to the new organization.
While advertising was "more of an afterthought" on the Xbox 360, the Xbox One "is going to have advertising in mind," according to a technical account manager StickTwiddlers talked to. "So a lot of the limitations that we have now, hopefully the release of the boundaries will be widened so the opportunities will be a lot greater.”
Anybody at their Xbox one Comicon booth? Look for me, I'll be a Roman warrior advertising Ryse.Did they let you play it any? Are they still PCs under their?
It's been amusing the last month seeing Sony gradually forcing Microsoft to turn the Xbone into a wannabe $500 PS4. :P: :
Jokes aside, it's a good move, though from the looks of my Twitter feed, Indie devs still aren't particularly happy with Microsoft at the moment. I'm not sure why.
this is the general Gaming thread, alot of people on this site are multiplatform owners, this may be a Nintendo focused site but it isn't Nintendo exclusive.True
MS built something, Windows XP and Office 200People hated 2007 at first because of ribbon interface.73, that people found good enough for what they do.
on the one hand Microsoft has been pouring money into the xbox for over a decade and even with the 360's relative popularity we don't know if they actually broke even with things like the rrod and the lack of overall penetration over any region that isn't the UK or US
http://www.neowin.net/news/report-microsofts-xbox-division-has-lost-nearly-3-billion-in-10-years (http://www.neowin.net/news/report-microsofts-xbox-division-has-lost-nearly-3-billion-in-10-years)
I cheated - I just dug through my old posts. :D
That's nothing new. I have not found a thread I new the exact title for before. I tell ya Vudu was the only member to ever be able to find anything reliably.I cheated - I just dug through my old posts. :D
Seriously, though, the site needs a better Search Engine. Using words from that original post, it was pulling topics from 2012 as the most recent posts.
Phil Fish has basically ragequit the industry over being called a wanker.
Charging $60 for a controller and then $25 for rechargeable batteries is a slap in the face to customers. $75 for a bundle is a punch in the stomach.And according to everyone here on the Board that is also a rip off.
The Wii U Pro controller has 80 hours of battery life (and that's Nintendo's typically conservative number) and it's $50.
to me its a rip off in the sense that compared to the cheaper wii remote plus few games currently support it atmCharging $60 for a controller and then $25 for rechargeable batteries is a slap in the face to customers. $75 for a bundle is a punch in the stomach.And according to everyone here on the Board that is also a rip off.
The Wii U Pro controller has 80 hours of battery life (and that's Nintendo's typically conservative number) and it's $50.
Now how about this for simply $5 more your could get your Gamepad Replaced.
few games currently support it atm
That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn’t plugged in, although you won’t be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.
That pricing on the Xbone controller truly is a rip-off, at least at first. On the one hand, you have a pretty ludicrous $75 price to get yourself set up with a controller & charging cable, whereas Sony will sell you what's generally considered in the press to be a superior self-charging controller for only $60.but if you are on the PC you get access to the touchpad on the ps4 controller for ui stuff
The one thing I will give Microsoft on this is that within a few years you will probably have to replace that Dualshock 4 because the non-replaceable battery will die, just like the Dualshock 3's did. At that point, you're looking at a $60 replacement controller, whereas you pay that one fee upfront with the Xbone's controller and you're set for the life of the console (provided you're willing to play with the controller always connected by the Charge & Play cable). If you want to play wireless, there will probably be replaceable charging packs just like the 360 had that will cost less than a PS4 to replace.
broodwars, how long have you had your PS3 and has any of the controller's batteries ever die? They're making a solution from a lack of a problem to begin with.
I can't see how people can complain about the 180s. Just makes it a more consumer friendly console. At this rate it looks like this for me.
This Fall- Wii U
Next Spring- PS4
Next Fall- Xbox One.
I can't see how people can complain about the 180s. Just makes it a more consumer friendly console.
At this point I cant see why someone would buy the Xbox One instead of the PlayStation 4 unless you consider $100 upfront for inferior hardware and a spy camera that nobody wants as worth paying for.fixed
You cant read, can you? The Xbox One doesnt require Kinect. Also, the games shown are the same. And almost all third party games will be the same. So same games, and the Xbox One has a superior controller.Microsoft hasn't specified what will be lost by not using kinect. I think its safe to say that you won't get the full experience without kinect.
The DualShock 4 still has the same basic design the DualShock always has, which is NOT a good thing. Sony is determined to never have a good controller it seems.the thing with the very basic dualshock design is it isn't a crime to all of humanity. it is a controller that as time moved on began to need a large number of little refinements. if the ps3 controller had better triggers and the long since due grip redesign then i think it would get alot less hate. the ps4 controller seems to address these concerns with the (many) tweaks that have been made to its design to the point that unless you are fundamentally opposed to symmetrical analog sticks we are looking at what based on first impressions(people who have actually used the controller and have a much more substantial opinion on the matter) may be one of the greatest controllers we have yet in terms of erogonomics.
Games use Kinect in a variety of amazing ways from adding voice to control your squad mates to adding lean and other simple controls beyond the controller to full immersive gameplay. That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn’t plugged in, although you won’t be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.
You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture or more won’t work. We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you’ll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue.so tj whats this about the full xbox experience
At this point I cant see why someone would buy the PlayStation 4 instead of the Xbox One unless $100 upfront is that big of a deal.As far as I'm concerned, that makes all the difference. $100 is almost two games. Microsoft spent the months following the Xbox One reveal turning it into a Playstation 4, except they're still forcing people to buy a camera most probably don't want. I mean, I get why they're including it (even if it's no longer mandatory), but that still doesn't mean anyone really wants one.
You cant read, can you? The Xbox One doesnt require Kinect. Also, the games shown are the same. And almost all third party games will be the same. So same games, and the Xbox One has a superior controller.
If it were a game of controllers, MS would win, hands down.
At this point I cant see why someone would buy the PlayStation 4 instead of the Xbox One unless $100 upfront is that big of a deal.
At E3, we announced that Xbox One would be available in 21 markets around the world at launch
...in order to meet demand, we have adjusted the number of markets that will receive Xbox One in November to 13 markets, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand, in November.
We remain committed to launching Xbox One in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, as soon as possible in 2014
MS doesn't have to sell me on the system, they have to sell me on Kinect. The PS4 has a bunch of BS features that I'll never use. Even the most practical one, downloading parts of games before others, is only kinda useful to me IF I decide to download a game and IF I wanna play it right then. I'll reserve judgement on the controller until I can hold one. I heard good things about the DS3 and never liked it. If it were a game of controllers, MS would win, hands down.Still think that microsoft is better! :Q
Their goal, as is the goal of EVERY system EVER, is to sell as many systems as possible and make good games. Since when has any system had a different "goal"? I don't see the PlayStation 4's "goal". Without all those anti-consumer things, there is now no reason to not get the Xbox One unless you can't afford it.
Their goal, as is the goal of EVERY system EVER, is to sell as many systems as possible and make good games. Since when has any system had a different "goal"? I don't see the PlayStation 4's "goal". Without all those anti-consumer things, there is now no reason to not get the Xbox One unless you can't afford it.
Their goal, as is the goal of EVERY system EVER, is to sell as many systems as possible and make good games. Since when has any system had a different "goal"? I don't see the PlayStation 4's "goal". Without all those anti-consumer things, there is now no reason to not get the Xbox One unless you can't afford it.
...That's really harsh and completely untrue.
Microsoft's goal is as it has always been, to spy on you by any means available to them and sell it to the highest bidder.
...
I just enjoy the cavalcade of failure that is the XBone. It's a trainwreak that keeps on giving.its like grabbing a few friends and watching 4 easy cpus run around like idiots in mario party
oh and did i forget http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573 (http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573)
tj, i think you need to take some lessons in reading comprehension. hes complaining about xbox live gold being required for things like netflixoh and did i forget http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573 (http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573)
Someone STILL bitching about the cost of Xbox Live is supposed to be bad news? Nothing has changed on that, it's just another blogger whining (though he goes on to praise the actual service itself). Really, don't embarrass yourself with that post. If you are going to try and post bad "news", post news and not a whiny blog about the price of Live.
What is it, exactly, that you're getting with Xbox Live Gold? The right to access services that you already pay for. That's $96 each for Netflix and Hulu Plus, $125 for MLB, $79 for Amazon Prime, and on and on down the line. It's like booking a hotel room and being charged separately to sleep on the bed. It's a cover for a club you already paid dues for. And Microsoft is literally the only company that does it....
....But it's not the gaming value that's at issue; just leave the services we're already paying for—that, again, literally everyone else in this business offers for free—out of it. Especially when your direct competition is doing just that.
Yep, that's right. While the PS4 doesn't offer nearly as robust a streaming content offering as the Xbox One, its masters did have the common sense to continue offering its video apps for free, even as it introduced an online multiplier monthly fee. You might not feel satisfaction with Sony, but at least you'll feel respect.
tj, i think you need to take some lessons in reading comprehension. hes complaining about xbox live gold being required for things like netflixoh and did i forget http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573 (http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573)
Someone STILL bitching about the cost of Xbox Live is supposed to be bad news? Nothing has changed on that, it's just another blogger whining (though he goes on to praise the actual service itself). Really, don't embarrass yourself with that post. If you are going to try and post bad "news", post news and not a whiny blog about the price of Live.
so your point still stands just because you say it does, no evidence of any sort to prove your point, you just get to prance around, say your still right and thats that. Tj i don't think the world works that way.tj, i think you need to take some lessons in reading comprehension. hes complaining about xbox live gold being required for things like netflixoh and did i forget http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573 (http://gizmodo.com/xbox-live-gold-is-still-one-of-the-biggest-ripoffs-in-t-513093573)
Someone STILL bitching about the cost of Xbox Live is supposed to be bad news? Nothing has changed on that, it's just another blogger whining (though he goes on to praise the actual service itself). Really, don't embarrass yourself with that post. If you are going to try and post bad "news", post news and not a whiny blog about the price of Live.
pokepal, do you have reading comprehension? My point still stands.
And that blogger gets the point wrong. A more apt comparison would be like Xbox Live Gold being the cover charge for a club and the services the cost of drinks. Yes some clubs have a cover charge, doesn't make them a less good deal than the ones which don't.except as mentioned in the article both clubs have that same cover charge. the difference is that the ps4 club lets you get your drinks regardless.
Especially when Live is better.fanboyish statements do not matter here
And pokepal watching the Xbox One "burn" makes me laugh since they have been improving the system non-stop for several months now.they may have doused the fire but the forest is still scorched. microsoft has lost consumer trust and has failed to present a constant brand image. 500$ is still steep compared to the PS4 and nobody wants kinect. there are very few people who would see the xbone as a stronger value then the ps4.
The blogger complaining about something that has been going on for YEARS is somehow bad news for Xbox One according to you, that was obviously my point.it is something that will ultimately come back to haunt them and i suspect that will happen quite soon.
And the tiny fire has since been put out and the forest is pristine again.but the damage still exists. microsoft may have overturned their policies but they have yet to regain consumer trust and when your console is 100$ more expensive then your competition thats a problem.
So, what's this mythical bad news the PS4 is suppose to have I haven't heard about? Do have sources or are you doing the usual?i think we can safely assume those sources came from the magical land of make believe and regard them as such.
OR JUST POSTING RANDOM MEMES LIKE THIS!!!
SHARES A RESEMBLENCE DOEM'T IT!not quite, its in better shape then the PS3 was at 599$
Xbox one is dead end of story!
Yeah, I know, but the idealist in me doesn't want to know that they're spending $1,000,000,000 on games for Xbone. Moneyhats are slowly strangling the life out of the Madden series since it went exclusive EA. People complain about how the industry has stagnated(mostly in the AAA space), I worry if the attitude that MS is displaying will just encourage more of that.
Yeah, I know, but the idealist in me doesn't want to know that they're spending $1,000,000,000 on games for Xbone. Moneyhats are slowly strangling the life out of the Madden series since it went exclusive EA. People complain about how the industry has stagnated(mostly in the AAA space), I worry if the attitude that MS is displaying will just encourage more of that.
Moneyhats didn't ruin Madden. A lack of competition did. The big budget, AAA, annualized series market will crash eventually. Or rather, the returns will diminish so that instead of a new Call of Duty every year, it'll be more like 18 months. That's mostly the same thing. Right?
True i am getting sick of it. Micth look at my THREADS please... :'(
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (Ubisoft, Ubisoft)
Battlefield 4 (DICE, Electronic Arts)
Call of Duty: Ghosts (Infinity Ward, Activision)
Crimson Dragon (Grounding/Land Ho!, Microsoft Studios)
Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver, Microsoft)
FIFA 14 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)
Fighter Within (AMA Ltd., Ubisoft)
Forza Motorsport 5 (Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Studios)
Just Dance 2014 (Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft)
Killer Instinct (Double Helix, Microsoft Studios)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (TT Games, Warner Bros. Interactive)
Lococycle (Twisted Pixel, Microsoft Studios)
Madden NFL 25 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)
NBA 2K14 (Visual Concepts, 2K Sports)
NBA LIVE 14 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)
Need for Speed: Rivals (Ghost Games, Electronic Arts)
Peggle 2 (Popcap, Electronic Arts)
Powerstar Golf (Zoe Mode, Microsoft Studios)
Ryse: Son of Rome (Crytek, Microsoft Studios)
Skylanders: Swap Force (Vicarious Visions, Activision)
Watch Dogs (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)
Zoo Tycoon (Frontier Developments Ltd., Microsoft Studios)
Zumba Fitness: World Party (Zoë Mode, Majesco)
At gamescom today, we announced a new program for Xbox One, Independent Developers @ Xbox (ID@Xbox), which I am super excited to be part of. It’s a program we built based on feedback from over 50 developers which enables self-publishing of digital games on Xbox One. The program will offer developers access to development kits at no charge and an easy path for developers to build, publish and sell their games on Xbox One.[/size]Games that come through this program will be able to access the exact same features as any other large game company on Xbox One: Achievements, Gamerscore, Kinect, Xbox SmartGlass, Xbox cloud services and more. What’s also exciting is that these games will be available in the exact same marketplace (Xbox One Store) as every other game on Xbox One, making discovery for players easier by using all the curation and discovery tools that Xbox One will offer, including Spotlight, Trending, Recommendations and great social discovery with features like Game DVR and Upload.We’re really proud to offer this third path onto Xbox One for developers, and we’re excited to see what independent developers will bring to the system. At the same time, many independent developers will still want to work with a publisher, either Microsoft Studios or a third party, to bring their content to Xbox One. Publishers can provide support such as testing, QA, funding and marketing and promotion services. While some independent developers want to “do it themselves,” for others working with a publisher is the right decision, so they can focus 100 percent on the game itself. It all comes down to enabling developers to make the choice that makes the most sense for them. That’s ultimately what’s going to deliver the broadest and best games onto our platform for gamers.It’s also important to remember that our vision is that anyone will be able to create using Xbox One. Marc Whitten, Xbox Chief Product Officer, has said that eventually we’ll enable anyone to make games for Xbox One using their Xbox One console as a development solution. (In the meantime, there’s a super exciting product coming to Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows 8 for budding creators. It’s called “Project Spark” and anyone can make surprisingly deep interactive game content – you can even use Kinect in your projects!).At the end of the day, when you turn on your TV, we want Xbox One to have the broadest and most diverse content possible. Whether you’re in the mood for a big budget shooter, a contemplative side scroller, or something totally different that we can’t even imagine yet. The best way to deliver that experience is by doing what we’ve always done: making life easy for developers, as they do the hard work of creating fantastic game experiences for us all to enjoy.[/size]The Link to register http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/developers/id (http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/developers/id)
I love how MS has bungled Killer Instinct. Fans beg for it for years and they finally announce it but Rare isn't working on it. And now it's using a free to play model.
A month from now they'll reveal that it controls exclusively with Kinect. If you're going to poison a game's appeal with its intended audience you might as well go all the way.
So you guys have gone back supporting Xbox"one"? that's nice!
So Shingi is buying the XBone first and making it his primary? All is right in the world.
Broodwars is trying to fill the Sony fanboy slot now anyhow.
So Shingi is buying the XBone first and making it his primary? All is right in the world.
Broodwars is trying to fill the Sony fanboy slot now anyhow.
If you think I'm anyone's fanboy, you don't know me as well as you think you do.
So Shingi is buying the XBone first and making it his primary? All is right in the world.
Broodwars is trying to fill the Sony fanboy slot now anyhow.
If you think I'm anyone's fanboy, you don't know me as well as you think you do.
You're constantly negative about Nintendo and Microsoft, and only occasionally so toward Sony. I'm not sure that qualifies as "fanboy" but you certainly lean that way.
so if that 500$ bundle takes form WHY would you buy an xbone when you could get both current playstation consoles at the same priceTheirs a rumored $500 bundle for Vita and PS4? Then the extra $100 for the Memory Card. Still too much.
They cut the memory card prices when they cut the hardware price. Still more than they should be, but not as much.but you're still getting two consoles for little more then the price of one.*
The best halo is on the pc: Combat evolvedSo you guys have gone back supporting Xbox"one"? that's nice!
I was always planned to get one because as some people know I really like the Xbox. Plus Halo, Quantum Break, and a new Fable always meant i was going to jump in.
I just plan to go with the PS4/Vita for my main set up this gen.
We are excited to announce the Upload Outreach Program, an effort to attract creative minds from around the world to become a major part of the Upload experience. Selected users will receive a brand new Xbox One, a [/size]1- year Xbox Live Gold membership and a selection of launch titles *, and will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Upload team to see their content show up within the Upload experience. [/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]HOW TO PARTICIPATE:[/color][/size]Create a 1 minute video about any Xbox 360 or Xbox One game you love[/q]
[/font]
- Upload it to the web so we can see it (use Youtube, Vimeo, or any public website we can access)
- Send us the link to (uploadvideo@microsoft.com)uploadvideo@microsoft.com[/email] by (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=4&iso=20130915T1859&p1=179)September 15, 2013 18:59 ET[/url][/i][/size][/font]
- [/size]IF YOU’RE SELECTED:[/color]
[/size]We’ll notify you by email and you will receive:[/color][/size]An Xbox One
- A 1-year Xbox Live Gold subscription
- A selection of Xbox One Launch games*
- The opportunity to collaborate with the Upload team
- [/size][/color]
[/size]Watch the video for more contest details or see Terms and Conditions (http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/uploadoutreach) [/l][/i][/size][/font]
[/size]Think i'm going to make one for Fable once I get my phone back. Wish me luck. [/color]
- Xbox One retail kit containing an Xbox One console, a Kinect sensor and an extra controller.[/size]- A year's Xbox Live gold account[/color]
[/size]- One copy of each of Xbox One game titles available at Launch date. The number and titles may vary.[/color]
[/size]- Future opportunities to create videos with the Upload development team[/color]
[/size]- Promotion of their content as they create it within Upload[/color]
Here's the full website.
http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/uploadoutreach (http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/uploadoutreach)
20 winners with the Prizes being.
-One Xbox One retail kit.
-A copy of every launch game
-Future opportunities to team with the Upload development team. (pretty much what the Youtube pros get to do with that dev team.)
Plus here's one of the upload studio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg7wpRpqzY4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg7wpRpqzY4)
Steve Ballmer is on his way out. Set to retire in the next year (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-08-23-microsoft-boss-steve-ballmer-to-retire).
I suggest his replacement be Ben Afleck.
WATCH!that has virtually nothing to do with the xbone.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5mkoCiuzs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5mkoCiuzs)
Jontron show-star wars kinect
just watch it before you decide if microsoft makes the "best tech"WATCH!that has virtually nothing to do with the xbone.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5mkoCiuzs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5mkoCiuzs)
Jontron show-star wars kinect
http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/battlefield-4-devs-microsoft-making-easy-choose-ps4/ (http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/battlefield-4-devs-microsoft-making-easy-choose-ps4/)
It has everything to do with Xbone...you know, 'cause of Kinect...I guess. Now I've watch two or three in a row of that dude's videos, pretty funny stuff.Subscribe and watch everyone there all hirlious Like i've said before best game reviewer i've seen!(and i've seen a lot!)
To commemorate the launch of Xbox One, Day One Editions are special game SKUs that include exclusive content and are available only through retail pre-order while supplies last, or via download on Xbox Live the first two weeks after launch.
[/size]To commemorate the launch of Xbox One, Day One Editions are special game SKUs that include exclusive content and are available only through retail pre-order while supplies last, or via download on Xbox Live the first two weeks after launch.“Forza Motorsport 5” [/u]Day One Car Pack[/u]This three-car pack features amazing cars from Lamborghini, Audi, and Ford; each with a Day One-themed livery and custom tuning package created by the experts at Turn 10:2010 Audi TT RS Coupe: Stuffed stem to stern with modern tech, the TT RS is the first TT model to carry Audi’s famed RS badge – a distinction that’s earned on the track from the moment you step on the gas.2013 Ford Focus ST: Debuting with the same 247-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine from the much larger Ford Explorer SUV, the new Ford Focus ST packs a serious punch.2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera: Like great sculpture, the Superleggera’s chiseled form is carefully considered for maximum impact. That’s where the similarities end, however, because this work of art is best appreciated when it’s moving at top speed.[/size][/font][/color][/i]
“Dead Rising 3” Day One Edition“Dead Rising” Tribute Pack featuring exclusive game content and bonus attribute perks.Classic Frank West outfit with Frank’s Zombie Slugger weapon, extra gory attacks and a custom skill move. Also includes attribute perks for increased melee damage and tougher survivors.Official Chuck Greene outfit with Paddle Saw combo weapon that cuts through zombie hordes with increased damage and durability. Also includes attribute perks for vehicle and weapon durability.
To commemorate the launch of Xbox One, Day One Editions are special game SKUs that include exclusive content and are available only through retail pre-order while supplies last, or via download on Xbox Live the first two weeks after launch.“Forza Motorsport 5” [/u]Day One Car Pack[/u]This three-car pack features amazing cars from Lamborghini, Audi, and Ford; each with a Day One-themed livery and custom tuning package created by the experts at Turn 10:2010 Audi TT RS Coupe: Stuffed stem to stern with modern tech, the TT RS is the first TT model to carry Audi’s famed RS badge – a distinction that’s earned on the track from the moment you step on the gas.2013 Ford Focus ST: Debuting with the same 247-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine from the much larger Ford Explorer SUV, the new Ford Focus ST packs a serious punch.2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera: Like great sculpture, the Superleggera’s chiseled form is carefully considered for maximum impact. That’s where the similarities end, however, because this work of art is best appreciated when it’s moving at top speed.“Dead Rising 3” Day One Edition[/u]“Dead Rising” Tribute Pack featuring exclusive game content and bonus attribute perks.Classic Frank West outfit with Frank’s Zombie Slugger weapon, extra gory attacks and a custom skill move. Also includes attribute perks for increased melee damage and tougher survivors.Official Chuck Greene outfit with Paddle Saw combo weapon that cuts through zombie hordes with increased damage and durability. Also includes attribute perks for vehicle and weapon durability.“Ryse: Son of Rome” Day One Edition Exclusive Gladiator Mode Unlockables[/u]The Day One Edition of "Ryse: Son of Rome" will give players access to an exclusive Gladiator Mode Co-Op Multiplayer Map and an exclusive Sword add-on. Owners of the Day One Edition will be able to invite friends who own the Standard Edition to join them on the exclusive map.Legionnaire’s Trust Exclusive Sword: From the Brotherhood of Metalworkers high in the Swiss Alps comes this well-crafted, finely hammered blade that includes bonus in-game attributes.Ruins: Placing gladiators among the columns of an abandoned temple, Ruins will pit players against hordes of Barbarians, attacking from around every corner. The arena changes dynamically during gameplay, adding new obstacles and objectives for the player to encounter and overcome.[/font][/color][/i]
Xbox One launch title Killer Instinct is "the world's most generous demo", Microsoft has said.
It is not a free-to-play game in the traditional sense, Ken Lobb, creative director of first-party published Xbox One games and the person GoldenEye's Klobb gun was named after, told Eurogamer in an interview at Gamescom.
Killer Instinct's launch plans and pricing were announced during the German show last week. The fighting game will launch alongside the Xbox One with up to six characters, depending on how many you buy.
You can download the game for free with Jago available but extra fighters cost £3.99 / €4.99 / $4.99 each. Alternatively, you can buy the Killer Instinct Combo Breaker pack, which includes six launch characters and will grant early access to two post-launch DLC fighters. This costs £16.99 / €19.99 / $.19.99.
Finally there's the Killer Instinct Ultra Edition, which Microsoft describes as "the best value" for fans. The Ultra Edition costs £34.99 / €39.99 / $39.99, and includes the six launch fighters, early access to the two DLC characters, accessory packs, extra costumes ("the characters look different. It's not just, we make their pants blue") and an emulated version of the original Killer Instinct arcade game.
I almost feel bad for Microsoft with all their bad press, the worse they come off looking the better Nintendo will look in comparison though. But really Office and Windows is the only MS product I care about and lately even those aren't what they used to be. But then again it's not all bad press.
Killer Instinct 3 will be stupid, but if you buy the Ultra version for $39.99 (total ripoff) you get an emulated version of the original Killer Instinct arcade game...of course you could just save your money and download U64Emu instead (for your PC or original Xbox)...
Edit - just noticed this was already posted. Meh. What a way to finally kill a franchise.
Those two posters are MBA marketing speak at it's most obvious, not much different from those legit Viagra ads... So desperate to say something positive even the positives get spun into oblivion.
Is it just me or has Nokia been a small bit player in the market for years now since Blackberry stomped them who in turn got Appled.
NO MICROSOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(apart from computers :D )
Those two posters are MBA marketing speak at it's most obvious, not much different from those legit Viagra ads... So desperate to say something positive even the positives get spun into oblivion.
Is it just me or has Nokia been a small bit player in the market for years now since Blackberry stomped them who in turn got Appled.
But Engadget says the xbox One controller is awesome.
Yeah they stick only with Windows Phone. I don't mind since they make the best phones on the market barring the iphone, and the close partnership they hopefully won't go the way of rim.
(http://cdn.wpcentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/field/image/2013/08/att_black_925_3.PNG?itok=NbYDfO8Q)
I hate how no one but google wats to out a decent priced off contract phone. I want a windows phone as a backup but the most afforable is a used 810 off of ebay.
NO MICROSOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(apart from computers :D )
Kid, stop trolling.
I just changed the screen on a Lumia 520, it's a piece of crap.
NO MICROSOFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(apart from computers :D )
Kid, stop trolling.
Anyways, I've been reading a lot of good press about the Xbox One lately, now that all their backwards DRM policies are gone.
Project Spark looks to be the Kinect's first real killer app that has tons of potential for creative people (like me).
I'll wait for the Xbox One to drop to $300 (or less), because $500 is way too much for a game system. Obviously Microsoft didn't learn from Sony's pricing error back when the PS3 launched. And does no one remember the utter failure that was the 3DO?
The PS4's $400 price is still expensive, but it's a bit more palpable than $500.
The most awarded exclusives: 100 awards for exclusive games at E3 vs. 42 for PS4
The best Xbox platform exclusives: Halo, Titanfall, Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, Forza Motorsport 5, Sunset Overdrive1
First to get all Call of Duty: Ghosts downloadable content
First to get the Battlefield 4 Second Assault premium expansion pack
Our most precise, comfortable controller, with 40 innovations including Impulse Triggers2
Cinematic Realism, with gameplay that rivals a Hollywood blockbuster
Adaptive AI that learns to play like you and your friends2
Living Games that grow and evolve to bring you new challenges over time2
Buy, trade, loan, gift or sell any game disc, or purchase digitally and play within minutes
Suspend gameplay instantly and then resume right where you left off
Game and system updates can happen in the background
Controller auto-pairing, even when you hand it to a friend during a game
Better matchmaking: Smart Match finds you the right match and gives you more control
No jerks: extensive new reputation system helps keep annoying players out of your games
No waiting in lobbies: keep playing, watching TV or surfing the web while matches are set up
A service you can count on: 300,000 servers and more than a decade of experience in online multiplayer
Cloud-hosted games get a boost in performance and neutralize host advantage
Home Gold: anyone in your home can access most Xbox Live Gold benefits on your Xbox One, including multiplayer3
Capture your greatest game moments with Game DVR, and add your own creative touch with Upload Studio3
All new Achievements system with time-based, cross-game and community Challenges
Xbox One
Xbox One is built for the digital age using the latest technology and the power of the cloud
Thanks to the power of the cloud, Xbox One keeps getting better, so it grows with you over time
Kinect's voice and motion control make new game experiences possible
Use your Windows, iOS or Android tablet or phone to extend and control what’s playing on your Xbox One5
Sign in to any Xbox One to get your Home screen, digital games, content, profile and saves
The all new Kinect is at your command, with a 1080p HD camera, more precise motion tracking and a noise-isolating mic array
Imagine what game developers can do with the new Kinect
Turn on your Xbox One and TV with the sound of your voice, and then be signed in automatically
Controller, Kinect and Xbox SmartGlass technologies unlock new possibilities for developers so they can bring you more innovative games
Microsoft is rebranding the Xbox Live Marketplace as the Xbox Games Store ahead of the launch of its new console. The marketplace was originally a general-purpose store for the Xbox 360, offering games, videos, and other types of content. That's now all been separated out between the new Games Store and the existing Xbox Video Store and Xbox Music Store, making the name change more of a clarification than a newfound change of direction. Microsoft made the same change for the Windows Phone Marketplace about a year ago, leaving the term "marketplace" behind in favor of "store," which has become increasingly pervasive across the company's propertiesQuote
Warface from Crytek is coming to the 360 next year as a free to Gold game.
Of course I've seen it. I'm not living under I rock; I can google something and/or look it up on youtube. And I stand by what I said: Call of Duty with mechs.
I don't see any other next gen game with mechs like you say. Destiny, B4, CoD:G, etc all have their thing but Titanfall is an Infinity Ward game with mechs.
Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, license Nokia's patents, and license and use Nokia's mapping services.[/size]Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia's patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.Building on the partnership with Nokia announced in February 2011 and the increasing success of Nokia's Lumia smartphones, Microsoft aims to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing. For Nokia, this transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to earnings, strengthen its financial position, and provide a solid basis for future investment in its continuing businesses."It's a bold step into the future - a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft's share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer. "In addition to their innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.""We are excited and honored to be bringing Nokia's incredible people, technologies and assets into our Microsoft family. Given our long partnership with Nokia and the many key Nokia leaders that are joining Microsoft, we anticipate a smooth transition and great execution," Ballmer said. "With ongoing share growth and the synergies across marketing, branding and advertising, we expect this acquisition to be accretive to our adjusted earnings per share starting in FY15, and we see significant long-term revenue and profit opportunities for our shareholders.""For Nokia, this is an important moment of reinvention and from a position of financial strength, we can build our next chapter," said Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors and, following today's announcement, Nokia Interim CEO. "After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders. Additionally, the deal offers future opportunities for many Nokia employees as part of a company with the strategy, financial resources and determination to succeed in the mobile space.""Building on our successful partnership, we can now bring together the best of Microsoft's software engineering with the best of Nokia's product engineering, award-winning design, and global sales, marketing and manufacturing," said Stephen Elop, who following today's announcement is stepping aside as Nokia President and CEO to become Nokia Executive Vice President of Devices & Services. "With this combination of talented people, we have the opportunity to accelerate the current momentum and cutting-edge innovation of both our smart devices and mobile phone products."Nokia has outlined its expected focus upon the closing of the transaction in a separate press release published today.TERMS OF THE AGREEMENTUnder the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire substantially all of Nokia's Devices and Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services-related production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activities, and related support functions. At closing, approximately 32,000 people are expected to transfer to Microsoft, including 4,700 people in Finland and 18,300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembly and packaging of products worldwide. The operations that are planned to be transferred to Microsoft generated an estimated EUR 14.9 billion, or almost 50 percent of Nokia's net sales for the full year 2012.Microsoft is acquiring Nokia's Smart Devices business unit, including the Lumia brand and products. Lumia handsets have won numerous awards and have grown in sales in each of the last three quarters, with sales reaching 7.4 million units in the second quarter of 2013.As part of the transaction, Nokia is assigning to Microsoft its long-term patent licensing agreement with Qualcomm, as well as other licensing agreements.Microsoft is also acquiring Nokia's Mobile Phones business unit, which serves hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, and had sales of 53.7 million units in the second quarter of 2013. Microsoft will acquire the Asha brand and will license the Nokia brand for use with current Nokia mobile phone products. Nokia will continue to own and manage the Nokia brand. This element provides Microsoft with the opportunity to extend its service offerings to a far wider group around the world while allowing Nokia's mobile phones to serve as an on-ramp to Windows Phone.Nokia will retain its patent portfolio and will grant Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive license to its patents at the time of the closing. Microsoft will grant Nokia reciprocal rights to use Microsoft patents in its HERE services. In addition, Nokia will grant Microsoft an option to extend this mutual patent agreement in perpetuity.In addition, Microsoft will become a strategic licensee of the HERE platform, and will separately pay Nokia for a four-year license.Microsoft will also immediately make available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible notes that Microsoft would fund from overseas resources. If Nokia decides to draw down on this financing option, Nokia would pay back these notes to Microsoft from the proceeds of the deal upon closing. The financing is not conditional on the transaction closing.Microsoft also announced that it has selected Finland as the home for a new data center that will serve Microsoft consumers in Europe. The company said it would invest more than a quarter-billion dollars in capital and operation of the new data center over the next few years, with the potential for further expansion over time.NOKIA LEADERSHIP CHANGESNokia expects that Stephen Elop, Jo Harlow, Juha Putkiranta, Timo Toikkanen, and Chris Weber would transfer to Microsoft at the anticipated closing of the transaction. Nokia has outlined these changes in more detail in a separate release issued today.[/color]
A few games were on the xboxne with others on actual hardware. I'm not suprised since a E3 EA/MS showed off battlefield running on PC with Xbone controllers.
Tagently related but Microsoft just bought Nokia giving them an internal hardware manufactur (and killing whatever surface phone was out). Makes sense as Nokia had been the driving force between windows phone and invested a lot in Microsoft's ecosystem.
Will be weird seeing two differnt tablet brands from one company now.QuoteMicrosoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, license Nokia's patents, and license and use Nokia's mapping services. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia's patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.Building on the partnership with Nokia announced in February 2011 and the increasing success of Nokia's Lumia smartphones, Microsoft aims to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing. For Nokia, this transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to earnings, strengthen its financial position, and provide a solid basis for future investment in its continuing businesses."It's a bold step into the future - a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft's share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer. "In addition to their innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.""We are excited and honored to be bringing Nokia's incredible people, technologies and assets into our Microsoft family. Given our long partnership with Nokia and the many key Nokia leaders that are joining Microsoft, we anticipate a smooth transition and great execution," Ballmer said. "With ongoing share growth and the synergies across marketing, branding and advertising, we expect this acquisition to be accretive to our adjusted earnings per share starting in FY15, and we see significant long-term revenue and profit opportunities for our shareholders.""For Nokia, this is an important moment of reinvention and from a position of financial strength, we can build our next chapter," said Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors and, following today's announcement, Nokia Interim CEO. "After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders. Additionally, the deal offers future opportunities for many Nokia employees as part of a company with the strategy, financial resources and determination to succeed in the mobile space.""Building on our successful partnership, we can now bring together the best of Microsoft's software engineering with the best of Nokia's product engineering, award-winning design, and global sales, marketing and manufacturing," said Stephen Elop, who following today's announcement is stepping aside as Nokia President and CEO to become Nokia Executive Vice President of Devices & Services. "With this combination of talented people, we have the opportunity to accelerate the current momentum and cutting-edge innovation of both our smart devices and mobile phone products."Nokia has outlined its expected focus upon the closing of the transaction in a separate press release published today.TERMS OF THE AGREEMENTUnder the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire substantially all of Nokia's Devices and Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services-related production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activities, and related support functions. At closing, approximately 32,000 people are expected to transfer to Microsoft, including 4,700 people in Finland and 18,300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembly and packaging of products worldwide. The operations that are planned to be transferred to Microsoft generated an estimated EUR 14.9 billion, or almost 50 percent of Nokia's net sales for the full year 2012.Microsoft is acquiring Nokia's Smart Devices business unit, including the Lumia brand and products. Lumia handsets have won numerous awards and have grown in sales in each of the last three quarters, with sales reaching 7.4 million units in the second quarter of 2013.As part of the transaction, Nokia is assigning to Microsoft its long-term patent licensing agreement with Qualcomm, as well as other licensing agreements.Microsoft is also acquiring Nokia's Mobile Phones business unit, which serves hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, and had sales of 53.7 million units in the second quarter of 2013. Microsoft will acquire the Asha brand and will license the Nokia brand for use with current Nokia mobile phone products. Nokia will continue to own and manage the Nokia brand. This element provides Microsoft with the opportunity to extend its service offerings to a far wider group around the world while allowing Nokia's mobile phones to serve as an on-ramp to Windows Phone.Nokia will retain its patent portfolio and will grant Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive license to its patents at the time of the closing. Microsoft will grant Nokia reciprocal rights to use Microsoft patents in its HERE services. In addition, Nokia will grant Microsoft an option to extend this mutual patent agreement in perpetuity.In addition, Microsoft will become a strategic licensee of the HERE platform, and will separately pay Nokia for a four-year license.Microsoft will also immediately make available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible notes that Microsoft would fund from overseas resources. If Nokia decides to draw down on this financing option, Nokia would pay back these notes to Microsoft from the proceeds of the deal upon closing. The financing is not conditional on the transaction closing.Microsoft also announced that it has selected Finland as the home for a new data center that will serve Microsoft consumers in Europe. The company said it would invest more than a quarter-billion dollars in capital and operation of the new data center over the next few years, with the potential for further expansion over time.NOKIA LEADERSHIP CHANGESNokia expects that Stephen Elop, Jo Harlow, Juha Putkiranta, Timo Toikkanen, and Chris Weber would transfer to Microsoft at the anticipated closing of the transaction. Nokia has outlined these changes in more detail in a separate release issued today.Its probably the push the windows phone team needs as the two intergrates,
Soooo Wondering what the time to NGage X is ...A few games were on the xboxne with others on actual hardware. I'm not suprised since a E3 EA/MS showed off battlefield running on PC with Xbone controllers.
Tagently related but Microsoft just bought Nokia giving them an internal hardware manufactur (and killing whatever surface phone was out). Makes sense as Nokia had been the driving force between windows phone and invested a lot in Microsoft's ecosystem.
Will be weird seeing two differnt tablet brands from one company now.QuoteMicrosoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, license Nokia's patents, and license and use Nokia's mapping services. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia's patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.Building on the partnership with Nokia announced in February 2011 and the increasing success of Nokia's Lumia smartphones, Microsoft aims to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing. For Nokia, this transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to earnings, strengthen its financial position, and provide a solid basis for future investment in its continuing businesses."It's a bold step into the future - a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft's share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer. "In addition to their innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.""We are excited and honored to be bringing Nokia's incredible people, technologies and assets into our Microsoft family. Given our long partnership with Nokia and the many key Nokia leaders that are joining Microsoft, we anticipate a smooth transition and great execution," Ballmer said. "With ongoing share growth and the synergies across marketing, branding and advertising, we expect this acquisition to be accretive to our adjusted earnings per share starting in FY15, and we see significant long-term revenue and profit opportunities for our shareholders.""For Nokia, this is an important moment of reinvention and from a position of financial strength, we can build our next chapter," said Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors and, following today's announcement, Nokia Interim CEO. "After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders. Additionally, the deal offers future opportunities for many Nokia employees as part of a company with the strategy, financial resources and determination to succeed in the mobile space.""Building on our successful partnership, we can now bring together the best of Microsoft's software engineering with the best of Nokia's product engineering, award-winning design, and global sales, marketing and manufacturing," said Stephen Elop, who following today's announcement is stepping aside as Nokia President and CEO to become Nokia Executive Vice President of Devices & Services. "With this combination of talented people, we have the opportunity to accelerate the current momentum and cutting-edge innovation of both our smart devices and mobile phone products."Nokia has outlined its expected focus upon the closing of the transaction in a separate press release published today.TERMS OF THE AGREEMENTUnder the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire substantially all of Nokia's Devices and Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services-related production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activities, and related support functions. At closing, approximately 32,000 people are expected to transfer to Microsoft, including 4,700 people in Finland and 18,300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembly and packaging of products worldwide. The operations that are planned to be transferred to Microsoft generated an estimated EUR 14.9 billion, or almost 50 percent of Nokia's net sales for the full year 2012.Microsoft is acquiring Nokia's Smart Devices business unit, including the Lumia brand and products. Lumia handsets have won numerous awards and have grown in sales in each of the last three quarters, with sales reaching 7.4 million units in the second quarter of 2013.As part of the transaction, Nokia is assigning to Microsoft its long-term patent licensing agreement with Qualcomm, as well as other licensing agreements.Microsoft is also acquiring Nokia's Mobile Phones business unit, which serves hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, and had sales of 53.7 million units in the second quarter of 2013. Microsoft will acquire the Asha brand and will license the Nokia brand for use with current Nokia mobile phone products. Nokia will continue to own and manage the Nokia brand. This element provides Microsoft with the opportunity to extend its service offerings to a far wider group around the world while allowing Nokia's mobile phones to serve as an on-ramp to Windows Phone.Nokia will retain its patent portfolio and will grant Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive license to its patents at the time of the closing. Microsoft will grant Nokia reciprocal rights to use Microsoft patents in its HERE services. In addition, Nokia will grant Microsoft an option to extend this mutual patent agreement in perpetuity.In addition, Microsoft will become a strategic licensee of the HERE platform, and will separately pay Nokia for a four-year license.Microsoft will also immediately make available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible notes that Microsoft would fund from overseas resources. If Nokia decides to draw down on this financing option, Nokia would pay back these notes to Microsoft from the proceeds of the deal upon closing. The financing is not conditional on the transaction closing.Microsoft also announced that it has selected Finland as the home for a new data center that will serve Microsoft consumers in Europe. The company said it would invest more than a quarter-billion dollars in capital and operation of the new data center over the next few years, with the potential for further expansion over time.NOKIA LEADERSHIP CHANGESNokia expects that Stephen Elop, Jo Harlow, Juha Putkiranta, Timo Toikkanen, and Chris Weber would transfer to Microsoft at the anticipated closing of the transaction. Nokia has outlined these changes in more detail in a separate release issued today.Its probably the push the windows phone team needs as the two intergrates,
Tailored for you, the NFL on Xbox One will deliver the best of the NFL, in a way that will completely reimagine the way you experience football from the comfort of your home. Only Xbox One can bring interactivity to live games, stats, scores, highlights and your NFL.com Fantasy Football team all together on the best screen in the house – your TV. Xbox One will personalize your NFL experience, for your team, with the best content the NFL has to offer including NFL.com, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone. Whether you’re watching the game or not, Xbox One makes it easy to keep tabs on the league with Snap mode. You can watch live TV, play games, or watch movies, while simultaneously tracking your NFL.com Fantasy Football team, or checking in for the latest scores and stats.
While you’re watching at home, Surface technology is in the stadium, on the sidelines to help protect your favorite players. Teams and trainers will implement use of the X2 concussion testing application this season to quickly diagnose potential player concussions immediately after leaving the playing field with the help of Surface tablets, helping quickly determine if they can get back in the game or call it a day.
We are also excited to announce ESPN on Xbox One, which builds on our innovations with ESPN on Xbox 360, and provides you with the best of ESPN networks and web content personalized just for you. Featuring deeper sports content personalization, ESPN on Xbox One gives you immediate access to the teams and sports you care about most. With WatchESPN, ESPN.com, and ESPN3 video content, you get the best highlights, live events and on-demand sports in full screen mode. Additionally, you will receive personalized scores and stats in Snap mode from the most popular sports.
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/03/xbox-one-external-storage-not-supported-at-launch-says-major-ne/ (http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/03/xbox-one-external-storage-not-supported-at-launch-says-major-ne/)
This thing is obviously being rushed at this point. Its going to launch with quite a few feature but will still need to patch things through. For reference sony won't be supporting external drives at all.
Sounds like Microsoft wasn't ready for the PS4 specs which seem sort of silly. They don't sound that different but testing must have proven otherwise. So PS4 the 15th and XBOX One the 22 Its Wii and PS3 all over again.
Think Yoshida said it on his twitter account.
.
You back up through cloud.
Xbox One production has just went into full swing and the CPU has been upclocked as well.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/03/xbox-one-production-cpu-boost/
Xbox Wire: What is SmartGlass?Ron Pessner: Fundamentally, it’s a free downloadable companion application that extends your Xbox game and entertainment experiences to your smart devices. With SmartGlass for Xbox One you can use your phone, laptop or tablet as a remote to easily navigate the web on your console, turn up the volume on your TV, and select a video, music or game to play. SmartGlass is more than just controlling your TV content though. We are working with all of our game and entertainment partners to build really cool experiences that take advantage of the fact that you have smart devices connected to your Xbox One.[/color]XW: How do you get Xbox One SmartGlass?RP: The free Xbox One SmartGlass app is separate from the Xbox 360 app. The Xbox One SmartGlass app will be available for download this holiday on Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, iOS and Android devices.[/color]
[/color]XW: What can gamers expect from SmartGlass for Xbox One?RP: SmartGlass is maturing with the evolution of Xbox 360 to Xbox One. Xbox One was designed from the ground up with SmartGlass in mind, and an immediately noticeable difference with Xbox One SmartGlass compared to Xbox 360 SmartGlass is the connection speed and performance. On average it only takes about four seconds for SmartGlass to recognize your Xbox One and create an instant connection. Of course, this is based on the speed of your wireless connection, but generally SmartGlass is about three-and-a-half times faster on Xbox One than its Xbox 360 predecessor. And that’s just for your first connection, once you’re synced up, re-connecting will happen even faster.A core feature that was super important for us is that gamers can use SmartGlass for matchmaking on Xbox One. If you’re in the middle of game on your console, you can begin matchmaking for a multiplayer session through SmartGlass and you won’t interrupt your action on the big screen.We’ve also expanded the number of devices that you can connect simultaneously to Xbox One. You can now have up to 16 SmartGlass devices working with an Xbox One so there are more people connecting to a game experience—that’s four times as many as Xbox 360. An interesting implementation of this would be playing poker with friends or maybe an MMORPG where there can be lots of hands in the pot. We’re excited to see where developers will take this and the new gaming experiences they’ll create by tying together more devices than before.[/color]
[/color]XW: How are you making SmartGlass faster on Xbox One than Xbox 360?RP: With Xbox 360, SmartGlass had to talk to a datacenter that could be halfway around the world, and the datacenter then relayed commands to your Xbox. That connection from your SmartGlass device to a datacenter and then to your Xbox required extra time to execute. Now, SmartGlass talks directly to your Xbox One over your Wi-Fi or LAN network.[/color]
[/color]XW: What is Game Help and how are developers utilizing it for Xbox One games?RP: If you’re having trouble in a game, you can tap a Help button in SmartGlass that will give you contextually aware information for whatever you’re playing. We’re working closely with developers today to add game help to individual Xbox One titles. This is done by game creators making a help manual that we then host in SmartGlass. During gameplay, SmartGlass follows your progress and knows exactly where you’re at and where you’re having trouble, so that when you hit the Help button you’ll be given the tips you need. It’s a really cool additive experience to your gameplay and a way for developers to use additional screens to enhance the experience of playing games on Xbox One.[/color]
[/color]XW: How can gamers use SmartGlass when they’re away from their Xbox One?RP: SmartGlass is your Xbox One dashboard when you’re away from your console and keeps you in touch with your Xbox One games and community. In addition to staying connected to your friends, sending and receiving messages, and checking all your Achievements, SmartGlass will show your friends’ activity and let you look at the games they’re playing. From there, you can pin those games in SmartGlass and those pins will appear on your Xbox One the next time you’re connected to Xbox Live. We’re making it easier to find new games by adding the ability to search the entire Xbox Games Store within SmartGlass. And we’re adding a promoted games section that delivers titles specific to your tastes based on your gaming history.[/color]
[/color][/font]XW: How does SmartGlass connect you with your Xbox Live friends?RP: SmartGlass serves up game details pages that let you get competitive in a new way by showing you your friends’ progress relative to your own if you’re playing the same game. You can compare your Achievements and Challenges and other stats that developers deem relevant to their game. You can send and receive messages with your Xbox Live friends so you can talk trash or send congrats on their recent wins. You’ll also have access to Game DVR clips that you and your friends create.[/color]
[/color]XW: How does SmartGlass interact with TV on Xbox One?RP: You can do a lot with SmartGlass when you’re watching TV on your Xbox One. You can change channels on your cable or satellite set-top box and even control the volume of your television. When you hit volume up on your SmartGlass device, for example, it tells your Xbox One console to send the volume up command through IR blasting from Kinect directly to your TV. Xbox One integrates all your entertainment into an easy to navigate OneGuide—a single destination for seeing what’s on TV, your favorite channels and even programs that you watch in your favorite streaming apps. You can either navigate the OneGuide on the TV, or you can access it on your smartphone, tablet or laptop with SmartGlass. So when you’re fighting over the remote or what to watch next, use SmartGlass to see what’s on and what to watch without interrupting what’s happening on the TV or to go ahead and change the channel if the remote is nowhere to be found.[/color]
It doesn't compare because beyond off screen play the gamepad is pretty shitty.Which would make Smartglass by definition even shittier.
How was that a commercial for a game console? It looked like a commercial for a NFL TV to me.but isn't that the same thing in this case?
It doesn't compare because beyond off screen play the gamepad is pretty shitty.
It doesn't compare because beyond off screen play the gamepad is pretty shitty.
Metro is by FAR the best Phone interface.
I think it be great for the Wii U.
Metro is a great Phone UI.Metro is by FAR the best Phone interface.
I think it be great for the Wii U.
What are you even saying
Is it me, or is a full half of that UI Ads?
Is it me, or is a full half of that UI Ads?
This may sound odd, but I wish the Wii U had a front page ad. The eshop needs more promotion.
Microsoft Studios, in partnership with Grounding and Land Ho! today unleashed new footage of “Crimson Dragon” for the first time at Tokyo Game Show. Created and directed by acclaimed developer Yukio Futatsugi (creator of “Panzer Dragoon”), the flight-based shooter features action-packed gameplay and a vibrant new user interface.
Launching exclusively for Xbox One for $19.99 (USD) on Nov. 22, “Crimson Dragon” enables you to harness a powerful dragon and take to the skies in this thrilling shooter where humanity has been driven to the brink of extinction on a planet ruled by dragons. It’s up to you and your friends to control the winged beasts as you battle for supremacy. Purchase and play “Crimson Dragon” before Dec. 31 and receive an exclusive dragon to help you rule the skies.
Gamers can purchase a disc-less dual-license digital version of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" at participating retailers for a suggested retail price of $69.99. This version will include the Xbox 360 digital version of "Call of Duty: Ghosts," as well as the Xbox One digital version of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" – linked and unlocked via a user’s Xbox Live gamertag. More information on how to pre-order at participating retailers will be available in the coming weeks.
Players can also purchase a digital version of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" directly from the Xbox Live Marketplace for a suggested retail price of $59.99. And, when ready to upgrade to Xbox One, you can purchase a digital Xbox One version of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" for a suggested retail price of just $10 on the Xbox Live Marketplace until March 31, 2014
Priced at a suggested retail price of $49.99, £34.99, or €49.99, the "Call of Duty: Ghosts" Season Pass will upgrade from Xbox 360 to Xbox One at no additional cost. Offer is valid until May 31, 2014.
The "Call of Duty: Ghosts" Season Pass is now available for pre-order on the Xbox Live Marketplace and at participating PC digital download retailers. The Season Pass includes access to four "Call of Duty: Ghosts" DLC Map Packs, each available first, exclusively, on Xbox and delivering a collection of fresh "Call of Duty: Ghosts" multiplayer content and more. Gamers who purchase the Season Pass will also receive the Team Leader digital content pack that includes a unique multiplayer character head, weapon camo, reticle, player patch, player card and player background.
So like this.
Working with full production Xbox One hardware, we saw the UI running on what was essentially a final hardware unit. Content was being populated in real time from Microsoft HQ. They ran full test code in front of us, so no canned demos here.
Penella signed into the dash by just waving his hand. Actually, work went on to do so in the background before he even did that, as the Kinect was already seeing and trying to recognize everyone in the room. Waving was more of a confirmation that he was the one that wanted to sign in. From that confirmation, Xbox One pulls down all of Penella's settings, just as he had set up in Redmond, including all of his saved games, apps, and settings.
Speaking of signing in, Xbox One is friendly to multiple users. The previous systems were not. Now, six users can sign in at one time. Kinect is always watching to know who is in the lead in this case. It sees who is holding the controller and recognizes your voice among others. You could be in a room with five other people logged in and call out to launch a game, and it would do so with your settings and saves intact.
The new dash is clean and simple. You have pins of your choosing, settings, and a home screen to pick from and interact with when scrolling from left to right. Gone are the second screens and guides and other nonsense. It's just one small set of simple black and green boxes that make up the dash, with everything you'd need right in front of your eyes. This is a UI for usefulness, not for flashiness. Bravo.
The home screen will populate with whatever Microsoft chooses to promote, which will usually be news for the platform as well as new store items. We did not have a chance to see how content will be navigated from this point. Here's hoping we'll see that soon
The friends limit is now 1,000, up from the original 100 setting on the Xbox 360. But you can also have followers on the Xbox One, much like you would on Twitter. For this, you can have unlimited followers. This means you can follow someone's gaming activity without taking spots in your feed. You can imagine how neat it will be to follow game industry personalities or celebrities to see what they're up to.
A favorites list lets you pick your closest buddies to keep up with. They show up first, prioritizedby the system.
The Xbox One can run four apps at the same time in the background. Switching between them is not unlike how it would work on your mobile phone. It's instant. Hitting the X button on the controller takes you back to your home screen, where you'll see four boxes that represent the apps or games running. Pick from any of them to jump right in.
The apps you have loaded can be snapped to the side of the screen, keeping them visible while you do other things. Imagine having a FAQ pulled up in Internet Explorer while playing a dungeon crawler, or Xbox Music running while you check up on your friends list. For game capture, pinning will be especially handy.
Game capture is pretty slick. We saw a marble maze game get instant capture of the last 30 seconds of buffered frames from a simple voice command. Xbox One's Upload Studio had a 720p 30fps clip waiting immediately after. Users can quickly edit, save, or share this clip with further commands. Another voice command can have you back in the game just as quickly.
Penella says that these clips will only be able to be shared on Xbox Live at launch. They'll have social sites like YouTube and Facebook set up for sharing by next year.
The Kinect does neat things for living room connectivity. It acts as a IR blaster on steroids, sending out so many IR beams that it completely fills a room. These beams bounce off walls and other surfaces, reflecting back at any exposed device in the room. This means that your electronics on shelves, even behind glass, will be able to be controlled by the Xbox One.
Microsoft and Chinese media company BesTV New Media Co., Ltd, are partnering to bring a new gaming console and streaming device to China. According to Xinhua News, BesTV posted the news on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The new venture, E-Home Entertainment Development, will be 51 percent owned by BesTV and 49 percent owned by Microsoft. The total investment in the joint venture is $237 million.
Other unconfirmed reports found by Polygon say the new console will be based on Xbox technology and be called the Bestpad. BesTV is China's leading IPTV provider with 18 million IPTV subscribers in China, southeast Asia and eastern Europe. The company just recently acquired the five-year, exclusive broadcast rights for the Premier League.
Microsoft is recruiting top talent for its fitness program: Jillian Michaels of The Biggest Loser and Tony Horton of P90X fame are among the experts that will guide you through workouts and provide real-time feedback on progress. Xbox Live Gold subscribers will have unlimited access to Xbox Fitness from the launch of Xbox One through November 2014. After that, the service will convert to a premium, standalone subscription for all Xbox customers. Microsoft has yet to make any mention of Xbox Fitness, but with the cat now firmly out of the bag, we may be hearing more very soon.
Introducing the future of fitness. Experience the world’s best workouts with instant, personalized feedback, right in your home on Xbox Fitness. Train with Jillian Michaels, Tracy Anderson, P90X, Insanity and more. Optimize every workout with immediate feedback on your form, power and heart rate with the all new Kinect, featuring Muscle Mapping, Power Gauge, and Pulse. Plus, feed your motivation with social challenges. Unlimited access is yours for free with an Xbox Live Gold membership for a limited time. Only on Xbox One.*
Sees which muscles are most engaged by the power, force and transfer of weight in your body, and gives you tips to produce stronger results. Measures your exertion and challenges you to push harder, so you can maximize your workout.
Detects micro-fluctuations in your skin optically to read your heart rate, absolutely touch free, from up to 10 feet away.
Illustrates your energy utilization, encouraging you to keep your effort up until each exercise is complete.
So 45 Larcenies per ms. That's how they keep the gauge up.
I think thats a very American approach to fitness design there. AKA I don't think it will work. Its one thing to workout with non-threatening blank people. Its another to use real toned people.
Dead Rising 3” – from Josh Bridge, Executive Producer (Capcom)
When Microsoft gave us the opportunity to use Xbox SmartGlass in “Dead Rising 3,” we immediately established two simple goals: Integrate the experience into the storyline and fiction of Los Perdidos, and ensure the experience is additive, yet rewarding.
We’re now about two months from launch and I’m excited to say I think we’ve accomplished both of these goals.
In “Dead Rising 3,” SmartGlass becomes your in-game smartphone, compatible with all Windows 8, iOS and Android SmartGlass-enabled devices. As Nick Ramos, you’re trying to escape Los Perdidos and fight your way through thousands of zombies before an impending military strike wipes the city (and everyone still in it) off the map. Thankfully, Nick’s not alone. There are other survivors banding together with the same purpose.
Early in the story, Nick finds a smartphone. At this point the player can connect their SmartGlass device and turn it into a Zombie Defense and Control PDA. This is totally optional, but again, we wanted to make it a rewarding and fun experience that feels fully integrated into the game – not just tacked on.
Here are the features Nick’s ZDC PDA will support:
Exclusive Side Missions and Rewards: You will receive phone calls and text messages from in-game characters on your SmartGlass device which will activate special missions exclusive to SmartGlass users. These missions have their own story that feeds back into the fiction of "Dead Rising 3" and will reward players with exclusive weapons and additional support applications for your ZDC PDA.
Mission Tracker: Track your progress towards all your active missions without having to pause and navigate the in-game menus. SmartGlass gives you a mission checklist as well as a map for quick reference as you fight your way through the zombie hordes.
Los Perdidos News Ticker: With the news ticker, you’ll get updates and hints on where zombie outbreaks are happening around the city, giving you an edge as you plan your escape (or attack!).
Real-Time Map: Shows your location in Los Perdidos, the location of your co-op player and other points of interest in the world.
Support Applications: Use the ZDC Military Support app to request drone gun support, military grade flares to distract zombies or an air strike to decimate an infected area. You can also utilize Item Finders to locate specific weapons, vehicles and stores scattered throughout Los Perdidos, or the Backup app to call in survivors to help you fight and get Hints to help with missions or boss fights.
“Project Spark” – from Saxs Persson, Director Microsoft Studios (Team Dakota)
“Project Spark” is all about putting the power of creation in your hands, and we’re literally doing that with Xbox SmartGlass available on all Windows 8, iOS and Android SmartGlass-enabled devices.
What we have created is not really a “companion” app as much as a mirror of the Xbox One experience, and more. It delivers the full power and visual fidelity of Xbox One with the additional benefit of the Windows 8 touch interface and a virtual keyboard on the device connected via SmartGlass. This means that you can play, create, and share on SmartGlass devices.
Anything you can do on your Xbox One in “Project Spark,” you can do with “Project Spark” on SmartGlass. This even includes playing games built with, and designed for, touch input.
SmartGlass infinitely expands the possibilities of “Project Spark” user-created games on Xbox One. For example, someone could create a touch-only based game and, using SmartGlass, Xbox One players can play, remix, and share that game without platform limitations. Creators could even create games where there is a mix between the two – a shooter or action game where controller works best, and then puzzles that require touch input to solve.
Our goal is to open players’ imaginations and give them the tools they need to create anything they can dream up. Combining SmartGlass with Xbox One lets us deliver on that promise. Team Dakota is extremely excited to see what you can create with these powerful tools.
Xbox SmartGlass has enabled us to take the interactive party experience to the next level for "Just Dance 2014." Here at Ubisoft we have designed a range of new features that really compliment the Kinect platform. Now, anyone with a smartphone device or tablet is able to connect to the game using the SmartGlass application and instantly take control of the game… and the party.
One of the SmartGlass-enabled features in "Just Dance" is the ability to set up endless playlists during gameplay. Players can set up play lists featuring their favorite "Just Dance 2014" songs like Psy’s “Gentlemen” or One Directions “Kiss you.” The player also has the ability to add or remove songs during gameplay allowing them to transform the soundtrack of the party instantly.
In addition, "Just Dance 2014" creates instant video recaps of a dance session in a feature called Autodance. Autodance videos feature the coolest moments of a party mixed together and presented as a music video at the end of a song. The player also has the ability to edit the videos and apply crazy and funny effects. This is where the SmartGlass functionality really shines! By using the touchscreen controls, players are able to edit these videos effortlessly in an editing suite.
Players will also have access to "Just Dance 2014’s" brand new PartyMaster game mode via SmartGlass. PartyMaster gives ultimate control to one player by letting them choose the next dance move in real-time on their smartphone or tablet and even switch tracks mid-song to become the DJ of the party.
Forty-nine days from an Xbox One rollout that could make or break one of Microsoft's most successful brands, the key marketing executive behind the launch outlined how it also could reshape marketing in a speech to the Association of National Advertisers Masters of Marketing Conference in Phoenix Oct. 5.The self punching continues.
Yusuf Mehdi, corporate VP-marketing and strategy for Microsoft, outlined how he expects the new system, which succeeds the eight-year-old Xbox 360 in a neck-and-neck race with Sony's Playstation 4 launch, could affect marketing. Those possibilities include ramping up consumer expectations for production values in advertising thanks to advances in Xbox imaging technology, furthering the "gamification" movement in advertising, and consolidating more attention now diffused among multiple devices for gaming, TV and web browsing onto the big screen. For example, Xbox One will make it easier to port real-time fantasy-football data to the TV screen as people watch NFL games.
But perhaps the biggest potential impact is one Mr. Mehdi only hinted at -- the possibility of making data from Xbox available for market research.
Holy grail
"We are trying to bridge some of the world between online and offline," he said. "That's a little bit of a holy grail in terms of how you understand the consumer in that 360 degrees of their life. We have a pretty unique position at Microsoft because of what we do with digital, as well as more and more with television because of Xbox. It's early days, but we're starting to put that together in more of a unifying way, and hopefully at some point we can start to offer that to advertisers broadly."
Xbox One can essentially work like TV that watches you, bringing marketers a huge new trove of data about what's going on in living rooms, including, as one marketer put it after the speech, unprecedented information about how people engage with TV advertising.
"It could have a big impact on pricing," he said, given Xbox One's capacity for seeing whether people are paying attention or how their bodies respond to the ads, said the marketer, who wasn't authorized by his company to speak for attribution.
Biometric responses
Given that Xbox 360 has sold more than 78 million units, if even a fraction of likely Xbox One users could be persuaded to share data, the technology could create the world's largest panel for measuring biometric responses to advertising.
The new generation of Kinect technology in Xbox One can distinguish up to six voices in a room, respond to voice commands, read skeletal movement, muscle force, whether people are looking at or away from the TV and even their heart rates, Mr. Mehdi said. The latter happens as the camera detects slight changes in skin tone related to dilation of a blood vessel in the eyeball that responds to heart rate, Mr. Mehdi said.
In a feature that was controversial among some users, Microsoft originally said that the Xbox One would have to be connected to the internet and Mircosoft's servers at least once every 24 hours to function. After consumer outcry, Microsoft backed down. It also dropped its original plan to require that Kinect technology always be on for the console to work.
"Sometimes it feels like there's a conspiracy in the media against MS these days because they can't seem to do anything right."
So Microsoft is the new Nintendo?
At band Camp."Sometimes it feels like there's a conspiracy in the media against MS these days because they can't seem to do anything right."
So Microsoft is the new Nintendo?
No. Nintendo always made a profit. Until that one time.
Fark u to, Nintendo ALWAYS makes standard games! no big ones but no flops ethier, Microsoft on the other hand has failed this console before its even come out!
http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/ (http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/)Still better than xboxone
(http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/images/5/5f/VirtualBoyJapan.jpg)
http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/ (http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/)Still better than xboxone
(http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/images/5/5f/VirtualBoyJapan.jpg)
still a better love story then twilight! ::)
http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/ (http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/)Still better than xboxone
(http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/images/5/5f/VirtualBoyJapan.jpg)
still a better love story then twilight! ::)
Gunpei would agree with you. Dude cmon on we get from the site your on you like nintendo, but their's a difference between fondling and edited comment that isn't family friendly.
http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/ (http://www.vooks.net/disaster-day-of-crisis-sales-a-disaster-in-europe/)Still better than xboxone
(http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/images/5/5f/VirtualBoyJapan.jpg)
still a better love story then twilight! ::)
Gunpei would agree with you. Dude cmon on we get from the site your on you like nintendo, but their's a difference between fondling and going bareback.
WTFark 15 going on 16 is a kid is it?
Your New Friends App on Xbox One[/size]Designed around you and your friends, Xbox One will have plenty of room for all your favorite people in the brand new Friends system on Xbox One. Your Xbox 360 friends will automatically be added to your Friends list. With Xbox One you can have 1,000 friends, connect with people instantly by following them and have infinite followers yourself. You can also see all of your Xbox One and Xbox 360 friends and their activity in your Activity Feed.[/color]Some gifs of the OS(http://i.minus.com/ibgfs3CkGUPTHP.gif)\(http://i.minus.com/ibqitOx1T2Uvdu.gif)
[/size]Xbox Live has always been about building an amazing community. When we first launched the service back in 2002, our vision was to create a premium online place where friends could come together to play games. With your support we’ve created the world’s largest, most-active gaming and entertainment community and now, as we look ahead to the launch of Xbox One on Nov. 22, we want to pause for a moment to celebrate our community and tell you about what we are doing to make it even better. With that in mind throughout the upcoming days in this “Week of Xbox Live,” we will share more news and information about what is coming to Xbox Live. First, we want to thank you for choosing and for spending more time with us. In the last 12 months, we delivered more than 20 billion hours of gaming and entertainment on Xbox, over 17% growth over the previous year. We’re proud and humbled to be the top online gaming service - according to NPD's August 2013 Online Gaming report, close to 50% more online console gamers use the Xbox 360 for playing online than the PlayStation 3.With your increasing engagement with and growing community, we’re able invest in new features and future innovations that bring more amazing experiences to you and the community on Xbox Live.Your New Friends App on Xbox OneDesigned around you and your friends, Xbox One will have plenty of room for all your favorite people in the brand new Friends system on Xbox One. Your Xbox 360 friends will automatically be added to your Friends list. With Xbox One you can have 1,000 friends, connect with people instantly by following them and have infinite followers yourself. You can also see all of your Xbox One and Xbox 360 friends and their activity in your Activity Feed.
Similar to the other social media networks, Xbox One allows you to share the latest in games and entertainment with fellow gamers, friends and family, or even celebrities and gaming personalities by following people. For example, on Xbox One you can search for me by my gamertag (Major Nelson) and follow me to see what I share publicly, such as my latest game scores and achievements.On your Xbox One, there are now more ways to connect than simply sending a friend invite. For example, the one-way follow model of Xbox One allows Xbox Live members to connect with the people they care about in an easier way than ever before.Friends and FollowersSo what’s the difference between a friend and a follower? They are all considered your friends on Xbox One, but the levels of privacy between the two are different. You can follow anyone you want and it’s completely up to them if they follow you back. You can also decide what information your followers can see about you.When you and another gamer mutually follow each other, it creates a more interactive relationship that unlocks the ability for you both to see information like when each other are online, what achievements you earn in real time and what you’re up to on Xbox One.The Friends app is also an awesome way to find out about new games and activities to take your Xbox One experience to a whole new level.“A great driver in ‘Forza Motorsport 5,’ for example, could have a huge group of thousands or even millions of followers all tracking their performance in-game,” Rob Lehew, Xbox Live Program Manager, said. “Those followers can have this driver on their personal leaderboard so that they can constantly keep track of how they stack-up, and they can potentially connect online with the driver to get into a race with him.”[/color]
It's too busy with too many unnesscerey animantion and masses of wasted space. WiiU OS is better layed out, built for a touch screen. Not as "Fast" because it is a WiiU. Also **** Ads.
*shrug* It really considers whether the Animations are there to mask load times or if they are just there to be there.
What else are you going to put on the main screen that may or may not be used? The WiiU OS is perfectly functional for what it does. Plays games and launches stuff. You can pack so much more useful information and utility in WiiU OS compared to the Bone's OS, it's not funny. That said the WiiU has less information to display since you don't have useless **** like gamer score Ads, big giant thing in the middle, TV. All of which is supose to be used from 3 meters away. Where the WiiPad is right infront of you. MSOS might make more sense if it was a touch screen one on which it is based off but Metro is trash.
WiiU has 6 "Fixed" Apps + 15 per page to arrange as you like. If the WiiU ever gets to the point where it starts to get messy with too many icons, that's when we would be folders like we did on the 3DS.
Also to repeat myself. **** Ads.
...While my Wife same age as me and once a Computer Science major couldn't get Hulu up on the screen with the Media PC.
http://videogamescene.com/xbox-one-to-run-all-windows-8-apps/ (http://videogamescene.com/xbox-one-to-run-all-windows-8-apps/)That be a good move. Especially if it allows them to connect all the ecosystems better (Phone, Console, PC). SNES8x though would probably be very quickly banned. Nintendo would not allow that.
Allegedly (by Dell), Xbox will run all Windows 8 apps. If it does, then that's potentially a game changer, as long as they don't start restricting things like SNES8x.
its gonna be restricted, there is no way microsoft will let something like steam run on the xbone
But the question is...IF it can run Windows 8 Apps...how easy will it be to hack and "jailbreak"?
Once that happens there is no stopping people from running any emulators they want.
Though I thought at one point Valve was going to make a Steam Windows App. Not sure why really they do that.its gonna be restricted, there is no way microsoft will let something like steam run on the xbone
steam isn't a window 8 app so the problem fixes itself.
Ok, first off: the origin of the rumor. I was contacted by someone claiming to be a dev. He told me a bunch of info. I had no idea if it was true or not. I know a lot of people really hate me currently so I was very weary that I was being trolled by a well-informed person. I was looking for other sources for hours. Nothing. And then I got partial verification from another dev (not that he/she disagreed with part, but only knew part and said it was 100% correct) and then at once I got verification by two people who have never wronged me. So this isn’t flimsy but I’m still filing it under rumor because, well, it is. But it isn’t.
I’m putting it all out on the line here. I enjoy breaking leaks but if this is wrong I’m fucked. I know this. This is how much I trust the people who have verified (and I hope for a CBoaT appearance).
The short story is that Xbox Live and the OS, especially in functions that involve XBL, are a complete fucking mess. One source says we aren’t talking weeks until it works correctly but “months.” Things like parties dropping people when moving from one thing to another. Connectivity issues. Missed invites. Friend requests not working, etc.
He then said “If all you are doing is running a game and that’s the only app things are fine.”
So why do think things are going wrong?
“The system OS and network integration was written by a group of people who do not play games. They don’t understand why things were set up in the ways they were designed by J Allard back in ’05.”
So… what changed?
“Let me get into some technical detail regarding it – on 360, the OS handles all of the party and chat functionality. All you do is hook up the XBL VOiP OS API into your game, and it does most of the work for you. With it results in is a shared experience across multiple entertainment. If you’re watching movies or playing games, you can do it together. However, this system is entirely different on Xbox One. So, lets say me, you, and Thuway have xbox one’s that are online. We are signed in our profiles. Sitting at the home screen, we are considered to be in a “Xbox Party” on the server. There are no more ‘party leaders’. With that said if any one of us decide to start a game, the party is shifted over to that game’s party system. Each game now has their custom written VOIP.” (Pete note: shoutout to thuway!)
“In essence, it is almost EXACTLY how it was on the PS3, and it is in those API “handshakes” that is breaking the online experience.”
I asked if could be fixed soon. He said that anything is possible and Microsoft is obviously working on it but he thinks it will be months, not weeks. Getting online launch games certified is taking so long that it’s pushing games after launch back.
Talking to a different developer he says: “Yeah, getting anything online to work was a pain for months, barely worked at the very end of last month. Adding friends, sending game invites or even achievements’ toasts could be a nightmare. I don’t know that much outside of “my” project, but from what I saw in others, online was always a problem. No idea if this will still be an issue at launch though, I think it would be too much, but it looks like it won’t be flawless at all.”
As of now the Xbox One OS and XBL (the name for the XBL side of Azure is “Thunderhead”) are having major issues. Maybe it will be fixed in time, maybe it won’t. The obvious question to me was does this have to do with Microsoft reversing the DRM and having to strip it out (Pete note: That would partially make it my fault and I wouldn’t like that at all)?
“This was happening either way. This was built into the OS long ago. The DRM-removal clogged their pipelines somewhat, but this blockage was always there. It’s just simply a way they setup the VOIP API and how it would be handled. It was an oversight, not just voip, all of parties and network connectivity really.”
Ok, anything else?
“By the way, do not be surprised at the reaction you get from MS over this.”
Yeah, I know.
Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason will feature wake racing, one of the game's six activities. The trial version will also include exclusive in-game rewards and, through March 2014, monthly multiplayer challenges that unlock those rewards.[size=78%][size=78%]
[/size]Xbox One owners who download the Preseason trial between Nov. 22 - 30 can unlock bonuses like a "Founder" player title, a Kinect Sports Rivals wetsuit and a wake racer. Also available to download on Nov. 22 will be the Kinect Sports Rivals Hub, where players can keep track of global competitive and local multiplayer challenges.
More **** might have just hit the (second) wind turbine (http://doddscientifics.com/2013/10/28/xbox-one-os-and-xbox-live-issues-bouncing-about-as-we-approach-launch/).QuoteOk, first off: the origin of the rumor. I was contacted by someone claiming to be a dev. He told me a bunch of info. I had no idea if it was true or not. I know a lot of people really hate me currently so I was very weary that I was being trolled by a well-informed person. I was looking for other sources for hours. Nothing. And then I got partial verification from another dev (not that he/she disagreed with part, but only knew part and said it was 100% correct) and then at once I got verification by two people who have never wronged me. So this isn’t flimsy but I’m still filing it under rumor because, well, it is. But it isn’t.
I’m putting it all out on the line here. I enjoy breaking leaks but if this is wrong I’m fucked. I know this. This is how much I trust the people who have verified (and I hope for a CBoaT appearance).
The short story is that Xbox Live and the OS, especially in functions that involve XBL, are a complete fucking mess. One source says we aren’t talking weeks until it works correctly but “months.” Things like parties dropping people when moving from one thing to another. Connectivity issues. Missed invites. Friend requests not working, etc.
He then said “If all you are doing is running a game and that’s the only app things are fine.”
So why do think things are going wrong?
“The system OS and network integration was written by a group of people who do not play games. They don’t understand why things were set up in the ways they were designed by J Allard back in ’05.”
So… what changed?
“Let me get into some technical detail regarding it – on 360, the OS handles all of the party and chat functionality. All you do is hook up the XBL VOiP OS API into your game, and it does most of the work for you. With it results in is a shared experience across multiple entertainment. If you’re watching movies or playing games, you can do it together. However, this system is entirely different on Xbox One. So, lets say me, you, and Thuway have xbox one’s that are online. We are signed in our profiles. Sitting at the home screen, we are considered to be in a “Xbox Party” on the server. There are no more ‘party leaders’. With that said if any one of us decide to start a game, the party is shifted over to that game’s party system. Each game now has their custom written VOIP.” (Pete note: shoutout to thuway!)
“In essence, it is almost EXACTLY how it was on the PS3, and it is in those API “handshakes” that is breaking the online experience.”
I asked if could be fixed soon. He said that anything is possible and Microsoft is obviously working on it but he thinks it will be months, not weeks. Getting online launch games certified is taking so long that it’s pushing games after launch back.
Talking to a different developer he says: “Yeah, getting anything online to work was a pain for months, barely worked at the very end of last month. Adding friends, sending game invites or even achievements’ toasts could be a nightmare. I don’t know that much outside of “my” project, but from what I saw in others, online was always a problem. No idea if this will still be an issue at launch though, I think it would be too much, but it looks like it won’t be flawless at all.”
As of now the Xbox One OS and XBL (the name for the XBL side of Azure is “Thunderhead”) are having major issues. Maybe it will be fixed in time, maybe it won’t. The obvious question to me was does this have to do with Microsoft reversing the DRM and having to strip it out (Pete note: That would partially make it my fault and I wouldn’t like that at all)?
“This was happening either way. This was built into the OS long ago. The DRM-removal clogged their pipelines somewhat, but this blockage was always there. It’s just simply a way they setup the VOIP API and how it would be handled. It was an oversight, not just voip, all of parties and network connectivity really.”
Ok, anything else?
“By the way, do not be surprised at the reaction you get from MS over this.”
Yeah, I know.
At any rate, the launches for both of these systems are rapidly approaching and I am surprised we are not getting more media information, game information, and details. Of course, perhaps we are and I just haven't seen it.
...but wanted to confirm that for Xbox One we’re 1080p upscaled from 720p. And, we’re native 1080p on PS4. We optimized each console to hit 60 FPS and the game looks great on both.
Sony finally learned their lessons from the PS3's hardware bottlenecks (thanks Mark Cerny!). Meanwhile, Microsoft's insistence on PC-like multitasking caused them to overlook the gaming capabilities of the console.
My how times have changed. You'd expect Microsoft to be more prepared for this stuff, since they're supposedly experts at PC software.
Speaking of Sony, they've made some very good decisions lately:
- Hiring Mark Cerny as the lead PS4 architect
- Refusing to copy Microsoft's old DRM policies
- Offering the PlayStation Camera as an optional accessory to keep the PS4 price low
- Pushing cloud gaming (Gaikai) as a truly innovative concept over TV multitasking
- Promoting Shuheu Yoshida as head of 1st-party development (the guy's basically Sony's version of Iwata)
It's good to be a PlayStation fan.
•Sunset Overdrive is something they're playing and planned for next fall (currently anyway). Will discuss other games for next year after launch - probably early 2014 I guess?
•D4/Kinect Sports Rivals are early 2014
•Gears has run its course in the current story. They’d need to consider a reboot with Epic but would want to do it
•PGR is a maybe but they’re full in the racing space atm (which suggests Forza Horizon 2?)
•Phil says he’s a big fan of Halo Wars and discusses it with 343 studio head but hasn't spoken to Robot Entertainment in a while so they probably wouldn't make it
•Said Rare has controller based games in their future, he doesn’t force them to do anything as he knows the staff will just leave and he’s been speaking to studio head at Rare over the summer about whats next. Heads have been (unsurprisingly turned) at Rare over the positive reaction to Killer Instinct, some interesting things brewing over there
•Phil said he has the green light to buy anyone he wants pretty much (developer wise) but he doesn’t for various reasons, e.g. Epic and Crytek are both in the engine business (didn’t say Epic/Crytek but he did say engine business) which is interesting. He said that having internal studios isn;t any cheaper to having an external studio work on a game so thats why he can buy if it makes sense for the developer and Microsoft
•Ryse was rebooted because they didn't think the quality was there in the Xbox 360 version and Crytek wanted to a launch title when MS approached them about it. They had it running at 720p/900p/1080p and looked at what was best for what they wanted to add going forward which was 900p
•He liked Kameo said PDZ was good not great, was disappointed it wasn't better and didn't do better
•Titanfall wasn't specifically ever really discussed for launch, thinks its coming out at a great time for them in March
•Harmonix are busy with the Fantasia game but they'd like to work with them again for another Dance Central
Phil Spencer is the head of the Xbox division, right? Did you really just say that Microsoft can just buy whatever developer they want?
what type of world is is when Nintendo can get youtube at launch but not Microsoft or Sony.Youtube is too busy ruining their service on PC and all other existing devices.
Pretty ridiculous of Microsoft to ban people (especially their fucking console) who got it early. Here's a better idea - turn off Xbox Live for XBox One (for non-dev kit systems) until the launch date. ****, Infinity Ward rewarded people who got Modern Warfare 2 early.
The One has greatly improved in my mind, but PS4 still has the most support and is $100 cheape. I am alittle concerned that sony hasn't showed off any UI or won't have the suspend/resume feature at launch.
The guy said after about 25 minutes of downloading Ghosts he could play while the rest downloaded.
Game sizes
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag - 20GB
Battlefield 4 - 33GB (Source)
Call of Duty: Ghosts - 39GB
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3 - 19GB
FIFA 14 - 8GB
Fighter Within - 9.2GB (Source)
Forza Motorsport 5 - 31GB
Just Dance 2014 - 22GB
Killer Instinct - 2.4GB (Source) // 3.4GB for full install, can play after downloading 2.4GB (Source)
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Lococycle - 13GB
Madden NFL 25 - 12GB
NBA 2K14 - 43GB
NBA Live 14 - 9GB
Need for Speed: Rivals
Powerstar Golf - 3.9GB (Source)
Ryse: Son of Rome - 34GB
Skylanders: Swap Force - 15GB
Xbox Fitness - 246MB (Source)
Zoo Tycoon - 2.6GB (Source)
Zumba: World Party - 24GB
The first wave of non gaming apps for the xbox One areAre they even trying to break the whole
Amazon Instant Video
Crackle
CWTV
ESPN
FOX NOW
FXNOW
HBO GO (coming soon)
Hulu Plus
Machinima
MUZU TV
Netflix
Redbox Instant by Verizon
Target Ticket
TED
The NFL on Xbox One
Twitch
Univision Deportes
Verizon FiOS TV
VUDU
Xbox Fitness
Xbox Video
Xbox Music
Internet Explorer
Skype
SkyDrive
Upload
what type of world is is when Nintendo can get youtube at launch but not Microsoft or Sony.
Does anyone think that Microsoft might ever come out with their own version of the Vita TV? Something that streams Xbox 360 games via the cloud and has Kinect support? It could be called "Xbox TV".
Think about going back on team xbox, (Yes I know i'm a god damn undescive mess).
Xbox One review: This is the console of the future - Fortune
Xbox One Is a Slice of the Future - Rolling Stone
The Xbox One is the closest thing to the future of television we’ve yet seen - Hollywood Reporter
Xbox One a great game player _ and more - AP
Xbox One review: The gaming device that goes far beyond gaming - Consumer Reports
Xbox One: A family-focused console that goes beyond gaming - Washington Post
Xbox One review: Compelling console with a strong lineup of games - NBC News
Some mainstream sites were really definitive in saying the Xbox One was definitely the best choice this holiday:
I saw an XboxOne in person today. Non functioning display model.
The new Kinect is fucking HUGE!! like the size of a box of saltine crackers.
Awesome. The Xbone is fucking huge - AND it still has an external power supply, which is baffling. It also runs 15 degrees hotter on average (or at least outputs air that is 15 degrees hotter). SONY has already moved onto the slim PS4, at least in terms of form factor (only 10mm bigger than a PS3 slim) and Xbone is bigger than the original Xbox 360 model.
So, to sum it up...PS4 packs more power (simply by having GDDR5 RAM, and another ARM processor with 256MB RAM), has an INTERNAL power supply, weighs 3 pounds less than the Xbone, and all around looks about 40% smaller. Crazy.
http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/000027cbc/26db/Next-gen-console-size-comparison.jpg (http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/000027cbc/26db/Next-gen-console-size-comparison.jpg)
Comparison photo ^
Actually the RROD happended because developers pushed the Xbox passed it's designed specs (175W was the supposed limit for fat xbox but certain games ran up to 200w).
"You can't make the system use more power than it can consume."What he's getting at is that the Power Supply can't take in more power then its rated for or it will pop. So 175w power Supply can't take in 200w.
Overclocking?
About the solder issue--it wasn't because of the lead-free soldering was used, it was more or less operator error. Lead-free was new and operators weren't trained to tell the difference between a good joint or not.
But the main cause for "bad" joints to fail was the GPU heat issue which caused warpage and stress to badly solder joints.
-----------------------
Just about all electronics is using lead-free even the WII which never had an issue.
-----------------------
Having said that, millions of RRoD systems is better than millions of lead-poisoned kids.I doubt that would happen. Honestly think at most it be 10's of kids. You have to open and interact with it.
Speak for yourself. MS never should have entered the market in the first place. Their exit would allow far more competent players to enter the market and allow existing players to reduce their risks as they no longer have to compete against an infinite, unproductive money pit.
Nintendo (and to some extent Sony's PlayStation division) prioritize consumer satisfaction over monopolizing a market. Sony and Nintendo are constantly pumping out new first party games to ensure their consoles have plenty of content to enjoy.That's how Fans are. We need something to talk about. We need a measuring stick.
And to be honest, I'm so tired of people obsessing over sales figures and console wars. Shouldn't we all just be playing the games and consoles we like?
"Oh no! This Samsung dishwasher only sold 22,000 units compared to the 50,000 sold by Whirlpool! This Sony TV isn't the market leader, they should just give up! Ford only sold 122,000 Focus's, while Toyota sold 300,000 Camry's... Ford is doomed!"
See how ridiculous it all sounds?
Why can't all consoles be cross-compatible, like DVD players, PC's, and smartphones?Because then they be PCs hooked to your TV and not as Plug and Play.
PC software can be used on any Windows PC, regardless of manufacturer or hardware components. Android apps can be used on any Android device, regardless of manufacturer or hardware components. Why can't game consoles be this way?
Who gives a ****. At a base level all every company cares about is profit anyway. A good game is a good game regardless. Obviously they had to give some crap to stay in for three generations now.
What do you think Sony's motivations were when they entered the gaming Market in the 90s. Plus corporations as enties can't give a crap anyway.
Those Xbox One consoles are still in stock (even more stores now)...that $500 price tag must be a major barrier.My Boss didn't get one because of a lack of Kid Friendly/watchable games. PS4 at least has Knack.
Those Xbox One consoles are still in stock (even more stores now)...that $500 price tag must be a major barrier.
Those Xbox One consoles are still in stock (even more stores now)...that $500 price tag must be a major barrier.
Those Xbox One consoles are still in stock (even more stores now)...that $500 price tag must be a major barrier.
Dude we get it, you like the PS4.
As far as switching from Sony to MS or vice versa, with the new consoles not including backwards compatibility there's very little holding people back from changing their alliances.
She didn't know if she should get the Xbox, 360 or the One. Yes the OG Xbox was in consideration because all she was interested in was that her kid was able to Xbox LIVE with her dad.I thought Xbox Live was discontinued on the original Xbox. That should have been off the table for being impossible.
I badgered her saying that was lazy and greedy on her part, because she wanted to keep one at her house and didn't want to be bothered to have to move it back and forth.Lazy, sure, but if the console wouldn't have been for her, wouldn't that make her generous, not greedy? Or perhaps a frivolous spender?
With all of EA's missteps over the last little while, I've heard a lot of resentment toward their future releases... except for Titanfall, which I find odd. I understand that EA is just a publishing partner, but imo, if you are going to hold a grudge, you should at least do it right.
6v6 is all well and good, honestly. You can have plenty of fun with that player count. But for a full-priced, multiplayer-only title, I wonder how many people would have been expecting a bigger scale, or at least the option. Though, with the issues that Battlefield 4 has had since launch, especially in larger player-count games(rubber-banding, hit detection, etc) perhaps limiting matches to 6v6 is a good thing.
Windows also doesn't have an equivalent of Xbox Live does it.
Yeah they did. We collectively laughed a hearty laugh and told them to sod off. Every time in meat space someone brings up paying for Live I laugh at the waste of money. They still think they are paying for "Servers".Windows also doesn't have an equivalent of Xbox Live does it.Didn't MS try that **** on PC with Games for Windows Live?
I might have picked one up for that price too.I was approached. Didn't ask too many questions.
How did you come across that deal?
Forza Horizon: "Fall 2014, probably September. Super sexy weather system and... **** tons of co-op/social stuff. 1080P and open-world, so you can road trip with your bros." UPDATE: Weather system powered by "the cloud"
White Xbone incoming. UPDATE: In October with "fancy ass controller"
NEW: Limited 1 TB box in November
Why all the leaks? Scared you might get caught? "I am incapable of fear. Plus, this is such exciting stuff, and me talking about it ahead of time isn't going to hurt anything, truthfully. We're all chomping at the bit for it to come out. This is not bad. "
Halo Anniversary 2 will be 1080p, iffy on the 60fps, maybe not.
Quantum Break is Holiday 2014
Multiplayer confirmed for HA2, same devs as Halo Anniversary.
Sunset Overdrive is Fall 2014. UPDATE: October 2014
Is not Phil Spencer
Black Tusk cancelled project was called "Shangheist." May have involved stealing stuff from the Chinese (though I think that may have been a reference to the name and maybe not the gameplay? Not sure...)
Fable Legends is Summer 2015
Halo 2 Anniversary includes beta for Halo 5
Gears of War will probably need a 2.5 year dev time.
First Titanfall DLC is 45 days from release, then another one 120 days from release.
No Crackdown 3 news this year most likely, since it's a 2016 title.
A list w/dates of the rest of the Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries that Xbone will release in this year. UPDATE: Late April in Scandinavian countries
No info/idea on what Rare's up to, sadly.
$399 XB1 this year? "Maybe one without an Optical Disc Drive."
NEW: Games with Gold on Xbox One starting April. "Sooner rather than later"
Two versions of H2A.
Collectors Edition with the Beta access, the Halo series (not the Blomkamp one)
War Collection with the above, as well as ports of Halo 3 & 4 for XB1.
[ quote]
Dude than posted a picture of the titandall Xbox console.
Where's all the new IP that Microsoft promised was in development? They're milking their franchises worse than Nintendo it seems. At least Sony creates new franchises each gen.
There's a "TV problem"? What noise is this? TV is so 2000. I use the TV more as a second monitor than a TV and I use the computer as a TV more than a TV.
...I don't know. I would like to be able to unlock my Home with a Clicker and have the lights come on. I often have my Hands full.
home automation are the very definition of solving a problem no one really had.
...I don't know. I would like to be able to unlock my Home with a Clicker and have the lights come on. I often have my Hands full.
home automation are the very definition of solving a problem no one really had.
Its cool but all they sis was perfect the pwronal planner onto a phone.
Its cool but all they sis was perfect the pwronal planner onto a phone.
What?
So Cable is the TV problem?
So Cable is the TV problem?A uniquely "American problem". That "One Guide" is something special? I have had something like that for the last 4 years for free, while DVR two channels at a time with additional equipment costing less than 1/5 of the price of a bone. No wonder no one in their right mind would buy one outside of the US.
The Bone has cratered in Spain. the word has it MS spent 20 Million Euros on marketing there which works out to about €571 per console sold. The PS4 is out selling the Bone at 15 - 1. (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=761021)
Amazon acquiring game companies is very interesting. What it leads to though, I have no idea.
I agree, I have trouble trying to separate the Prime videos from the pay videos.
That's funny, because I'm looking at it right now and it definitely lets me see only what is free.
I use Netflix and Hulu too, but that doesn't mean you need to spread misinformation like that when you admitted yourself you haven't spent much time with it.
Don't let your hardon for Microsoft cloud your judgement dude.There are still the rare IPs, the studios can still turn up some decent content and live servers could easily be converted to your own online system.
The studios are worthless since you can't buy the talent inside as shown time and again ie. Rare. Then there is the issue of how much MS has driven the studio into the ground. IP wise, there is only Halo. Everything else is either not Xbox related or has been left fallow.
The Brand itself is a wreak. The technology is obsolete and backwards. Live is a ad ridden hellhole of missing features. Why buy damaged goods when building from new is cheaper and easier.
Don't let your hardon for Microsoft cloud your judgement dude.
The studios are worthless since you can't buy the talent inside as shown time and again ie. Rare. Then there is the issue of how much MS has driven the studio into the ground. IP wise, there is only Halo. Everything else is either not Xbox related or has been left fallow.
The Brand itself is a wreak. The technology is obsolete and backwards. Live is a ad ridden hellhole of missing features. Why buy damaged goods when building from new is cheaper and easier.
So for $500 you get 72 extra pixels in titanfall.
Microsoft's next gen console ladies and gentlemen :D.
"792P"So for $500 you get 72 extra pixels in titanfall.
Microsoft's next gen console ladies and gentlemen :D .
Is this comment in responds to something not posted?
Does anyone think that Microsoft will eventually get into a streaming service for Xbox similar to what Sony is doing with Playstation Now? Sort of like their version of the Ps Vita TV with a tiny streaming box to play Xbox Live and 360 games.
Does anyone think that Microsoft will eventually get into a streaming service for Xbox similar to what Sony is doing with Playstation Now? Sort of like their version of the Ps Vita TV with a tiny streaming box to play Xbox Live and 360 games.
If it becomes a feature-parity issue they'll probably get on it, but then again Microsoft seems more interested in building a general media ecosytem than catering to the core enthusiast crowd. I'm also not sure there's going to be huge demand for streaming stale Xbox IPs when there will be plenty of stuff to take their place in various categories, including straight remakes of Halo and whatnot. Also the dangling question of whether or not they'll even stay in the video game sector long term.
I also recall reading something about Microsoft testing a streaming system and saying they couldn't get it up to consumer-grade marketability, and that they thought Sony was bluffing.
This puts Nintendo in an interesting position. Pressure to ditch the Gamepad will now only increase. Though it would be much harder to remove the Gamepad from the Wii U than it is to remove Kinect and without it the Wii U is just some outdated PS3 clone. I think MS made the right move but I don't think the same strategy makes sense for Nintendo.
Still less powerful and likely a weaker library of exclusives than PS4.I look at the list of exclusives (both released and upcoming) for both systems and can barely find maybe one and a half of games that gets me interested.
Is that suppose to be Manmus and Dark Manmus?
You're killing me here.
I have no idea why anybody would want to buy or save Xbox in any form and don't tell me because we "need" the competition.
Microsoft's now claiming they never forced Rare to make Kinect games. They were perfectly free to work on other kinds of things if they didn't really care about seeing their families again.
Microsoft is going to refund (pro-rated) Xbox Live gold to people who bought it for streaming, etc., as well.
No, just for Xbone.
The other game i'm VERY interested in is new Tomb Raider game.
No, not the moaning simulator 2013 and it's sequel Rise of the Hoodie Murderer 2015. I'm talking about sequel to Lara Croft and Guardian of Light called LC: Temple of Osiris.
GoL was an awesome co-op game, i really, really enjoyed it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jDZfREYppk
Cuphead trailer. Love the visuals so much. Oh and it's on PC too.
Imagine if Nintendo was to release all the 3D Mario games with the latest high definition graphics...People would scream "bloody rehash" from the roofs and windows.
I didn't get to see the conference, because I've been in the back of a car all day and over the course of this trip have already burned through two thirds of my data for the month that started four days ago, but based on what I've read it sounds like a decent lineup. Still nothing that even remotely tempts me to go and pick one up, though.
Phil Spencer sung his Siren directly at me.I don't think the Market value will change of the PS4 and Games that much Shingi. Unless you really want Titanfall I probably just wait for a more appealing bundle.
Only real main complaints is I want a traditional single player Fable as well as legends, and I feel that they might have well ported ODST and Reach to the ONE as well.
Probably going to trade in my PS4 and games to get a Xbox One Titanfall bundle.HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
That's because you've been intertubing "football" on your 40 inch Vita.
I can't say I fully agree with there strategy since they are releasing it on the 360 as well. They need stuff for the One. I'm sure Crystal Dynamic insisted on it at least being 360 as well. Then the time exclusivity I haven't seen them put an actual period on it.I feel like it'll be similar to Mass Effect 2 where the 360 version came out and the PS3 version was a year later. It's obviously different circumstances, but the timing would be about right.
I probably if I was them try to get 6 months to year out of it.
Or it may be like mass effect 1 which didn't reach the PS3 until 2012 for the trilogy.I can't say I fully agree with there strategy since they are releasing it on the 360 as well. They need stuff for the One. I'm sure Crystal Dynamic insisted on it at least being 360 as well. Then the time exclusivity I haven't seen them put an actual period on it.I feel like it'll be similar to Mass Effect 2 where the 360 version came out and the PS3 version was a year later. It's obviously different circumstances, but the timing would be about right.
I probably if I was them try to get 6 months to year out of it.
Unlikely. The Bone just simply doesn't have the pull that the 360 had during that point where it seemed like the 360 had pulled ahead indefinitely to "Win" the generation while the Wii did its own thing. Any money hat for anything longer than 1-3 months would grow geometric rate as the Bone has yet to exit the "Joke" period let alone make any ground against PS4.I agree. Plus, Mass Effect 1 was published directly by Microsoft. Word was that they had about a 5 year deal on that. Bioware wasn't bought out by EA until soon after ME1 was released.
(http://i.imgur.com/lXzCxf7.png)
Yes, its real
The 360 was also the home to a surprising number of hardcore Japanese shoot-em-ups, including the only non-ludicrously expensive version of Radiant Silvergun, as was often lamented by Greg on RFN.It's some kind of legacy of PS1 era Sony shunning 2d games in favour of 3d. Which led to Saturn becoming shmup haven.
Sega put out some pretty good stuff on the Xbox, though. Panzer Dragoon Orta, for instance, which I always wanted to play but didn't have an Xbox and once I got my 360 I didn't really feel like tracking down a copy. That game really should've been on XBLA as an Xbox Original.
Best SEGA game ever: Spider-Man The Video Game.
Yes, Peggle 2 was that sad. If he broke his legs on landing, I might pity him.
(http://i.imgur.com/fwykqe2.jpg)
That Peggle 2 announcement has to be the most awkward trade show moment since Michael Bay's epic fail with Samsung.
One of these days, Microsoft, you'll actually learn how to be a competent 1st party developer. Or you'll be forced to sell off the Xbox division. Whichever comes first.
Microsoft seems to have a love of investing huge amounts of money into dead companies and IPs (see also: Rare & the Gears of War franchise). Considering Microsoft outright refuses to invest money into developing their own studios, and instead just throws money at their problems, I'm quite content to see them become even more irrelevant by throwing even more money at a franchise doomed to die without its creator (Notch has been rumored as saying he's leaving the studio if Microsoft purchases them).
One of these days, Microsoft, you'll actually learn how to be a competent 1st party developer. Or you'll be forced to sell off the Xbox division. Whichever comes first.
Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.
Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.
Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.
Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.
My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds? I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent. I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.
But $2 Billion dollars worth of Gangbusters?Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.
Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.
My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds? I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent. I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.
I work at a big box retailer and minecraft merchandise sells gangbusters.
But $2 Billion dollars worth of Gangbusters?Even if i am one of the people who doesn't "get" Minecraft, i think people here are shortchanging it.
Even at my workplace i see people playing it on their lunchbreaks. Minecraft is probably #1 game with kids, by very, very, very far. They even play it in schools as a form of educational activity.
My issue with Minecraft as a property to acquire is that it has no future as an exploitable IP. You can't do a Minecraft 2 and capture the same audience, let alone expand it. It's a game fueled by the imagination and creativity of the player, not a narrative; goal; or visual aesthetic. It's not the type of game to allow a sequel. Unlike something like Angry Birds, which is a concept that could be spun out in different directions, what really do you do to expand Minecraft beyond allowing larger worlds? I suppose if Minecraft could best be compared to LEGOs, you could sell other world tilesets, but that's kind of the extent. I just don't see how you recoup $2 billion on that IP, let alone make a profit.
I work at a big box retailer and minecraft merchandise sells gangbusters.
Notch left. He doesn't want to be on a sinking ship and I don't blame him.
Once again, Microsoft adds nothing creative to the industry, but merely takes from it. At least Microsoft's shown that they'll never learn from their mistakes, as they once again buy a company after the creative staff has left, ensuring that the developer's worth is extremely limited (see also: Rare). *sigh* I don't care about Minecraft, but I just think of all the new and creative software Microsoft could be developing with $2.5 billion that they've instead thrown away on a single property they'll never recoup their costs on.
the highly unlikely potential that Minecraft becomes as big as LEGO enough to warrant a 2.5 Billion price tag?...Minecraft has become bigger than LEGO a long time ago, my friend.
Best selling PC game of all time. One of the best selling console games. It's the ONLY game that has Nintendo-like evergreen status on not-Nintendo consoles: Xbox (and now PS3) Minecraft is in European and American sales Top 10 chart every single week since it was released.
Best selling PC game of all time. One of the best selling console games. It's the ONLY game that has Nintendo-like evergreen status on not-Nintendo consoles: Xbox (and now PS3) Minecraft is in European and American sales Top 10 chart every single week since it was released.
The thing is there's no evidence yet that Minecraft will remain this big in the future. Look at how big Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, Wii Fit, Nintendogs, and Angry Birds were last gen, and then look at them now. A lot of Minecraft's current popularity is because of the same kids and casuals that helped make a lot of these series popular, but as these show, this audience has a low attention span and will move on when something new gets their attention.
Now yes there's a strong core audience to Minecraft that can still help it keep selling millions, but enough to make up 2.5 billion dollars worth? That's going to big the big question which I don't see happening. Especially with Microsoft in charge of it now, who has a history of gutting the studio's they buy and making the quality suffer as a result, which will make even the core audience of Minecraft eventually got sick of it as well.
"If you talk about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education, the best way to introduce anyone to STEM or get their curiosity going on, it's Minecraft ... So I think what this open-world phenomenon will mean to the community at large, for people who builders, is pretty big, and we are very excited about the acquisition, obviously."
It also means Nintendo needs to think about a price drop. It isn't too late to do a $249.99 with game bundle. And a $299.99 Smash Bundle with Gamecube adapter and controller included.Nintendo doesn't need a price drop right now. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the console's strongest holiday title by a fairly large margin. It also has a large enough stable of first party content to entice fence-sitters. If Nintendo wants to be nice, it can throw consumers a bone, but I think it can stay the course this holiday season. Xbox One isn't doing spectacularly; it needs a price drop more than either Wii U or PS4.
Nintendo would be stupid to drop the price right now. I really don't think this MS drop will have that much effect on what I think is going to be a pretty good holiday for Wii U. Maybe in like February, once the holiday and Smash bump have run their course.
It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
I already had the Sunset Overdrive Xbone preordered to pick up tomorrow. With this announcement of another price drop, I wonder if I can browbeat my local Best Buy into honoring that price now when it doesn't take effect till 11/2. I already have a $50 coupon on the thing, so if I could pull that off, I'd essentially be getting the thing for $300, which is a satisfactory price for a console with a whopping 4 games I want to play (only 2 of which will actually be out by tomorrow).They'll probably make you go back between 9-5 M-F on 11/2 with your luck.
What both of these arguments are lacking is Nintendo Stubbornness. In general Nintendo doesn't really do Price drops and has a good amount of exclusives. You can be pretty confident, 3DS as the exception, that if you buy Nintendo Console Hardware you won't be seeing a price drop are a real better iteration later.It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
There's nothing on the Xbone that's anything like Smash Bros. People buying the Wii U for Smash Bros this holiday are doing it because they love playing Smash Bros and want the newest installment. Plus for many, Smash Bros will end up giving them way more hours of gameplay in the end anyway making just that one game a better value then 2-3 Xbone games anyway.
Nintendo would be stupid to drop the price right now. I really don't think this MS drop will have that much effect on what I think is going to be a pretty good holiday for Wii U. Maybe in like February, once the holiday and Smash bump have run their course.
It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
I'll probably be buying a Wii U this holiday, but its only because I already own one of the other systems and because its $200 refurbished form Nntendo.
What both of these arguments are lacking is Nintendo Stubbornness. In general Nintendo doesn't really do Price drops and has a good amount of exclusives. You can be pretty confident, 3DS as the exception, that if you buy Nintendo Console Hardware you won't be seeing a price drop are a real better iteration later.It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
There's nothing on the Xbone that's anything like Smash Bros. People buying the Wii U for Smash Bros this holiday are doing it because they love playing Smash Bros and want the newest installment. Plus for many, Smash Bros will end up giving them way more hours of gameplay in the end anyway making just that one game a better value then 2-3 Xbone games anyway.
MS not so much. By now its a good chance you have on in the PS360 combo and that will get you still the majority of new releases. That will not be changing anytime soon. There is still a very good arguments the smart move is to wait till it reaches a critical mass of games for you.
Wait, the $350 is for the Kinectless one? So the complete console would be $450.
What both of these arguments are lacking is Nintendo Stubbornness. In general Nintendo doesn't really do Price drops and has a good amount of exclusives. You can be pretty confident, 3DS as the exception, that if you buy Nintendo Console Hardware you won't be seeing a price drop are a real better iteration later.It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
There's nothing on the Xbone that's anything like Smash Bros. People buying the Wii U for Smash Bros this holiday are doing it because they love playing Smash Bros and want the newest installment. Plus for many, Smash Bros will end up giving them way more hours of gameplay in the end anyway making just that one game a better value then 2-3 Xbone games anyway.
MS not so much. By now its a good chance you have on in the PS360 combo and that will get you still the majority of new releases. That will not be changing anytime soon. There is still a very good arguments the smart move is to wait till it reaches a critical mass of games for you.
Since when? They aggressively dropped the price on SNES, N64, and Game Cube all to match their competition, Wii has blinded people into thinking that fluke is how it always was. Nintendo can not sell Wii U's at $300 when Xbox one, a new, more powerful next gen system with a rising library of games is fifty dollars more. You know they are having this discussion in board meetings right now, Smash Bros. is a big seller to Nintendo fans, but that game alone is not going to be the savior of the Wii U its going to be just like Game Cube, a big holiday sales rush and then sales falling off a cliff. By this point in Game Cubes life the price was already down to $99 and they were aggressive with their bundles, because MS was doing these types of aggressive bundles and price drops. Nintendo fans, or a certain segment of them, might not think Microsoft and Nintendo are competing for the same audience but their investors, and the game developers all know better.
Nintendo might hide a price drop in aggressive bundles, at first but there is no way an official one doesn't fallow suit right away.
I am willing to bet money on it, I will GIFT an eshop game of your choice if I am wrong, anyone takes me up on it does the same for me. They WILL drop the price before December first, most likely in a big bundle that is priced the same as the regular set but comes with enough crap to get the core unit down to the hidden new price, then right after the official price drop.
As much as I want Smash Bros. to be the system seller that turns Wii U into the viable machine everyone wants it to be, it won't it will be another Mario Kart, it will have big sales for a few weeks then no new major games for months and it drops off. The games that are coming have Nintendo fan appeal and those guys are all one the fence waiting for that one more game, most who held off this long its Smash, the rest its Zelda, everyone else needs more than five games to play to justify a $300 machine, and right now theres not that many that have mass appeal.
Hate them all you want, Madden, Call of Duty, Fifa, NBA Live, these games have mass appeal, and there are dozens of them out now or coming soon to the other two, there is nothing coming to Wii U outside of Smash and some really quirky Nintendo games that have limited appeal to mostly kids, and die hard Nintendo fans, and people with families. Xbox sucks at that last market Sony does not. Now what could force Nintendo's hand is if Sony went for the kill and also dropped the price of the PS4, which lets be realistic is not past them doing if they want to get aggressive which they just might especially if they think they can take Japan away from Nintendo.
What both of these arguments are lacking is Nintendo Stubbornness. In general Nintendo doesn't really do Price drops and has a good amount of exclusives. You can be pretty confident, 3DS as the exception, that if you buy Nintendo Console Hardware you won't be seeing a price drop are a real better iteration later.It depends the only really commercially viable on the game that would sway people is smash brothers. You have to wonder if that and the bundles are enough. Smash Brothers is awesome but for $50 more you can get a much more support system that comes with two or three games.
There's nothing on the Xbone that's anything like Smash Bros. People buying the Wii U for Smash Bros this holiday are doing it because they love playing Smash Bros and want the newest installment. Plus for many, Smash Bros will end up giving them way more hours of gameplay in the end anyway making just that one game a better value then 2-3 Xbone games anyway.
MS not so much. By now its a good chance you have on in the PS360 combo and that will get you still the majority of new releases. That will not be changing anytime soon. There is still a very good arguments the smart move is to wait till it reaches a critical mass of games for you.
Since when? They aggressively dropped the price on SNES, N64, and Game Cube all to match their competition, Wii has blinded people into thinking that fluke is how it always was. Nintendo can not sell Wii U's at $300 when Xbox one, a new, more powerful next gen system with a rising library of games is fifty dollars more. You know they are having this discussion in board meetings right now, Smash Bros. is a big seller to Nintendo fans, but that game alone is not going to be the savior of the Wii U its going to be just like Game Cube, a big holiday sales rush and then sales falling off a cliff. By this point in Game Cubes life the price was already down to $99 and they were aggressive with their bundles, because MS was doing these types of aggressive bundles and price drops. Nintendo fans, or a certain segment of them, might not think Microsoft and Nintendo are competing for the same audience but their investors, and the game developers all know better.
Nintendo might hide a price drop in aggressive bundles, at first but there is no way an official one doesn't fallow suit right away.
I am willing to bet money on it, I will GIFT an eshop game of your choice if I am wrong, anyone takes me up on it does the same for me. They WILL drop the price before December first, most likely in a big bundle that is priced the same as the regular set but comes with enough crap to get the core unit down to the hidden new price, then right after the official price drop.
As much as I want Smash Bros. to be the system seller that turns Wii U into the viable machine everyone wants it to be, it won't it will be another Mario Kart, it will have big sales for a few weeks then no new major games for months and it drops off. The games that are coming have Nintendo fan appeal and those guys are all one the fence waiting for that one more game, most who held off this long its Smash, the rest its Zelda, everyone else needs more than five games to play to justify a $300 machine, and right now theres not that many that have mass appeal.
Hate them all you want, Madden, Call of Duty, Fifa, NBA Live, these games have mass appeal, and there are dozens of them out now or coming soon to the other two, there is nothing coming to Wii U outside of Smash and some really quirky Nintendo games that have limited appeal to mostly kids, and die hard Nintendo fans, and people with families. Xbox sucks at that last market Sony does not. Now what could force Nintendo's hand is if Sony went for the kill and also dropped the price of the PS4, which lets be realistic is not past them doing if they want to get aggressive which they just might especially if they think they can take Japan away from Nintendo.
1) I don't think anyone expects Smash Brothers to do (much) better than MarioKart for Wii U.
2) I'd eat my hat if EA ever comes back to Wii U, even in gimped form. They've already made the business decision that it's not profitable for them to bother sending-out their PS3/Xbox 360 ports to die on Wii U. As they focus primarily on PS4/Xbox One, they're absolutely not going to spend time porting a game made specifically for more powerful hardware to a weaker console that shows little promise to get a ROI.
I never said anything about EA coming back so where is that coming from? I was using those games as examples there are dozens of NON-EA games you could point to so thats a weak reply to my point, the point was those machines have games with mass appeal, Wii U does not,
3) I think it's even LESS likely to see a price drop by PS4 than Nintendo. They have absolutely no reason to drop the price, when they're outselling Xbox by 40% (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/10/analysis-worldwide-ps4-sales-at-least-40-percent-better-than-xbox-one/). People already see a value proposition for the PS4 at a $400 price point, but they clearly don't see the same value in Microsoft's console, even if the differences are marginal.
Truthfully, in the several years I've casually followed the video game market, a price drop alone has done little to bolster the sales of a system or handheld. It would need to be on-top of a system that has a lot of compelling games & features, and put the price at a threshold where it could be considered a potential impulse buy. I don't see $350 being that point for Microsoft, even with Master Chief Collection & Sunset Overdrive.
Actually the wii u is selling alot worse then the GC, according to nintendos own numbers roughly 7.25 million units sold vs 10.5 million gc's sold for the first 21 months of each console.
MS needed to reduce price and i'm glad they finalliy realized it but I don't think they were agressive enough but maybe with retailers push the xbox might be able to push 2 million sales in the last quarter.
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
I don't think an open world game could ever be a system seller for me.
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
Eh, I can recommend a 'Bone for the $300 I paid, but with its pitiful software lineup right now I wouldn't recommend it for anything above that. I've put some time into Sunset Overdrive, and that game's the real deal. It's the only truly fun open world game I've played this year, and this year has had a lot of open world games. It deserves to be a system seller...but, sadly, it won't be one to many people.
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
Eh, I can recommend a 'Bone for the $300 I paid, but with its pitiful software lineup right now I wouldn't recommend it for anything above that. I've put some time into Sunset Overdrive, and that game's the real deal. It's the only truly fun open world game I've played this year, and this year has had a lot of open world games. It deserves to be a system seller...but, sadly, it won't be one to many people.
You didn't like Watch_Dogs?
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
Eh, I can recommend a 'Bone for the $300 I paid, but with its pitiful software lineup right now I wouldn't recommend it for anything above that. I've put some time into Sunset Overdrive, and that game's the real deal. It's the only truly fun open world game I've played this year, and this year has had a lot of open world games. It deserves to be a system seller...but, sadly, it won't be one to many people.
You didn't like Watch_Dogs?
"Meh", which seems to be the general impression towards Watch Dogs.
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
Eh, I can recommend a 'Bone for the $300 I paid, but with its pitiful software lineup right now I wouldn't recommend it for anything above that. I've put some time into Sunset Overdrive, and that game's the real deal. It's the only truly fun open world game I've played this year, and this year has had a lot of open world games. It deserves to be a system seller...but, sadly, it won't be one to many people.
You didn't like Watch_Dogs?
"Meh", which seems to be the general impression towards Watch Dogs.
but it sold 9 million copies.
Don't buy the Bone, seriously.
Eh, I can recommend a 'Bone for the $300 I paid, but with its pitiful software lineup right now I wouldn't recommend it for anything above that. I've put some time into Sunset Overdrive, and that game's the real deal. It's the only truly fun open world game I've played this year, and this year has had a lot of open world games. It deserves to be a system seller...but, sadly, it won't be one to many people.
You didn't like Watch_Dogs?
"Meh", which seems to be the general impression towards Watch Dogs.
but it sold 9 million copies.
Mostly on pre-orders. On hype. Try to find someone who loves that game now. If Destiny hadn't come out and been the spectacular critical dud that it was, Watch Dogs probably would've been a shoe-in for most disappointing game of the year.
Been playing Watch Dogs, I don't get the hate its a pretty solid game.It was not what was advertised, shallow as a puddle and buggy. So a Ubisoft game.
Welp, Microsoft's press conference just sold me an Xbox One. A more diverse than expected showing, plus the Rare mega collection and backward compatibility pushed me over the edge.
Backwards compatibility
(1) Is this going to be all 360 games? Or just the (very meager) subset posted here:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/backward-compatibility/
Notice how Halo and Gears are absent from the list until Microsoft is done making money off of the remakes.
Why is it the N64 Conker and not the remake for the original Xbox, live and reloaded, which looked way better?
Also, the way they are DOING this BC compatibility raises some serious issues about the Xbone's pitiful storage limitations, even compared to the PS4.
For me what I'm looking for the most in backward compatibility is XBLA stuff, so I probably don't have to worry much about things being held back for remasters. I'd like to finally play Shadow Complex.
On a side note, I forgot to mention it earlier but Recore looks pretty awesome.
On a side note, I forgot to mention it earlier but Recore looks pretty awesome.
Yeah! I got a Beyond Good and Evil vibe from it.
If KI will still be free, there will be no reason not to check it out.
Sony won this year. Microsoft did pretty well though. Hololens will be awesome, but priced out of practicality.
Pretty sure they had Prince of Persia-looking character in the opening montage, hopefully it will be announced later -- show is not over yet...