Microsofts next XBOX (Xbox One)

[MrSpaM]

Amazingly, I read the Xbox One is actually wiping the floor with the PS4 in the pre order charts somewhere. Dunno if it was bollocks or not.

If it's true really does prove any there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Not sure where you heard that, but everything I've read has said PS4 is outselling XBO 3-1

[Legend_in_blue]

The news was, as you would expect, all over Twitter on Monday night. In a Q&A session with game site IGN, Xbox executive VP Marc Whitten has confirmed that Kinect will no longer need to be switched on, or even plugged in, for the Xbox One to function.

When asked exactly how "off" the controversial camera and motion control device can be, he replied, "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."

Many game sites have reported on the revelation, but a cursory glance through news stories from the last few months shows that this policy has been emerging for sometime.

Originally, Microsoft's plan seemed to be that Kinect would need to be switched on and unobstructed for games to work. This led to privacy concerns from many gamers, partly thanks to the NSA PRISM revelations that coincided with the announcement of the console, and partly due to a widely reported patent application from Microsoft that mentioned a camera set-up capable of identifying all the viewers in a room.

However, in an interview with Eurogamer, Xbox Europe boss Phil Harrison assured consumers that the gadget was not a monitoring device (there are reasons to be sceptical here, though). CNET later spoke to Jeff Henshaw, the group program manager for Xbox Incubation, who said, "The system is designed to have Kinect be an integral part of the experience. It's not the case where you'll be able to remove the camera altogether. But you'll be able to put the system in modes where you can be completely secure about the fact that the camera is off and can't see you."

This is essentially what Whitten says in the IGN Q&A article – that the sensors can be switched off to ensure total privacy. However, [uPDATE] he does specifically say for the first time that, "the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in". Clarification from such a senior source has clearly accentuated the point: Kinect is, it seems, no longer a mandatory element in a functioning Xbox One.

This has led to speculation that Microsoft may be on the verge of announcing a cheaper Xbox One package, without the Kinect device. Sony made the decision to exclude the PlayStation Eye device from its basic PS4 bundle allowing the console to retail at $100 less than its rival.

This is extremely unlikely however. Microsoft has continually stressed that it sees Kinect as an intrinsic element of the Xbox One proposition, and is heavily pushing the machine as a social device – the corporation sees Skype video chat as a key selling point.

In a NeoGaf forum post, ostensibly from Microsoft spokesman Albert Penello, he states, "We still believe in Kinect. We aren't interested in splitting the development base. The more demos I've seen, the more I've used it – the more impressed I am. The team feels strongly about Kinect, and I hope we're able to prove that when you use it.

"We also have a ton of privacy settings to allow people to turn off the camera, or microphones, or put it in a state just for 'Xbox On and IR blasting – there will be a lot of user control for that. The thing we all understood, and hence this change, is that there are some scenarios where people just may not be comfortable. We wanted people to be 100% comfortable, so we allow the sensor to be unplugged."

The question now is whether the sidelining of Kinect will affect the confidence of developers who were looking to support the device in more subtle ways – perhaps for voice controls, head tracking or even heart rate monitoring. If the general assumption becomes 'Kinect is off in most households at most times', the impetus to draw on those features could fade.

Nevertheless, after the company's other major U-turns, which have seen it turn away from daily online authentication and abandon plans to restrict the sale of pre-owned games, it seems this is the final swerve away from the original Xbox One proposition – a proposition that greatly contrasted with PlayStation 4. While, elements of Microsoft's proposed digital distribution framework are likely to be slowly re-introduced, it is questionable whether third-party publishers will offer the device such a starring role in their titles going forward.

So now you can buy an Xbox One with a piece of kit you don't even need to use at a much greater price than a PS4.

Come on Microsoft, how stupid do you think people are?

[Foxhateram]

Great so they have now pretty much pulled all the controversial stuff. Do people not realise they have been played by Microsoft? It's disgraceful the way that they have treated the media and public over this, it's pure shocking and immoral. Playing a game with people to make sales.

I won't be buying either console tbh, but I certainly wouldn't buy an Xbox after the way they have launched this.

[Legend_in_blue]

Published on Aug 14, 2013

We know Microsoft is releasing the Xbox One in November - we don't know the date but it's been clear about that. While that's good for gamers, it has given Sony a bit of a heads-up.

The latest rumour regarding Sony's PS4 suggest the release date for the next-gen console could be as early as 21 October 2013, putting it ahead of Microsoft's proposed Xbox One release date.

Additionally it would give the PS4 a whole month of sales to help recoup stock ahead of the all-important Black Friday sales, the busiest period of shopping in the US as everyone kicks off for Christmas.

A mod-verified posted on NeoGAF posted the details, suggesting that he comes from a retail background and was privy to the PS4's release date.

"Our internal product release schedule from head office dropped yesterday and on Oct 21st an unnamed Sony console will be launched," claimed the user.

"FYI all console revisions like the PS360 slims and Wii Mini were listed as PS360 & Eii Mini. Previously the Wii U, 3DS and Vita were also only listed as Nintendo/Sony Console in the product name column."

The NeoGAF user added that they worked at "a very large retailer, managing the electronics sales force and nothing more."

The release schedules the retailer was sent "are for internal use only, designed to allow us time to create our instore merch plans".

He then added that if the launch date for a product is not yet known then it is just marked as TBA. The fact that a date was included suggests that, if true, this could indeed be the PS4's release date.

The date is only ever added "when we have received confirmation of said date from the product company".

Though all of this sounds legit - the poster has been mod-verified too, which means he's had his source checked by a NeoGAF mod - it should still be taken as a rumour.

If the PS4 release date has been decided by Sony, however, then it's highly likely we'll see confirmation of this - whether it's true or not - next week at Gamescom.

Sony's Gamescom conference is due for Tuesday 20 August 2013 at 7PM CET / 6PM BST / 1PM EDT / 10AM PDT.

This follows news that Sony has put a block on PS4 pre-orders due to demand, perhaps suggesting an earlier PS4 release date to beat Microsoft to the punch and maintain an advantage in terms of sales early on.

By pushing this forward at least Microsoft will be running out of time to come up with yet another "oh, we're now not including this anymore..."

[The Horse's Mouth]

They're basically trying to make the PS4 now.

[z-layrex]

Titanfall looks so so good, can't wait. Must have watched the gamelay footage from E3 about 10 times now.

[Grewks]

.

 

 

 

Microsoft...how can a successful company like yourself make so many mistakes??

 

 

They have now announced that they will not release the console in 8 European countries until 2014...whilst it looks like the PS4 will come out this October.

[MC Prussian]

Microsoft.  

On par with EA Sports as a 2013 contender for the "worst software and/or hardware company in the world".

 

They really manage to come up with some many cock-ups in succession this year. XBOX One is bound to flop big-time if they keep on chopping and changing.

 

Of course, it could've all been prevented if they had tested the market earlier or sought the cooperation with gamers who are on the other end of the chain in the first place.

[Manwell Pablo]

Not sure where you heard that, but everything I've read has said PS4 is outselling XBO 3-1

 

It was one of those shitty articles off the Guardian blog but after some investigation it does seem the PS4 is doing better.. 

[z-layrex]

If nothing else, the Playstation fan base's behaviour over the last generation and moving into the next has made me never wanted to be counted as a part of that community to be honest. Always so bitter and elitist, always with something to prove. Hauntingly similar to Apple fans actually.

 

MS have made some stupid decisions, but they still have the better format, because it's Xbox. Did you know Titanfall (the single most awarded game in E3 history btw) isn't on the PS4 because Sony couldn't offer the cloud infrastructure required to run it? Xbox Live is just vastly superior and always will be. It is both far more secure against both in and out of game hackers.

 

The system is built to last for 10 years in both hardware and because of the cloud. Microsoft have built for the future and at least they try to innovate. What have Sony done? Here's another boring Playstation.

 

Not to mention the Xbox has what is widely regarded as the best controller in the world, and it has only been improved with the One. Do you have any idea how much money was spent on improving an already near-perfect controller?

 

They will still win this generation in the long term, just wait and see. Now all we need is a cheaper launch bundle without ****ing Kinect.

[LestaFox92]

If nothing else, the Playstation fan base's behaviour over the last generation and moving into the next has made me never wanted to be counted as a part of that community to be honest. Always so bitter and elitist, always with something to prove. Hauntingly similar to Apple fans actually.

 

MS have made some stupid decisions, but they still have the better format, because it's Xbox. Did you know Titanfall (the single most awarded game in E3 history btw) isn't on the PS4 because Sony couldn't offer the cloud infrastructure required to run it? Xbox Live is just vastly superior and always will be. It is both far more secure against both in and out of game hackers.

 

The system is built to last for 10 years in both hardware and because of the cloud. Microsoft have built for the future and at least they try to innovate. What have Sony done? Here's another boring Playstation.

 

Not to mention the Xbox has what is widely regarded as the best controller in the world, and it has only been improved with the One. Do you have any idea how much money was spent on improving an already near-perfect controller?

 

They will still win this generation in the long term, just wait and see. Now all we need is a cheaper launch bundle without ****ing Kinect.

 

Just like the ps3 won this generation in the long term no seriously tho all fanboyish comments aside the cloud was built for DRM and nothing else just as steam and origin use the cloud all the cloud is, is a fancy word for lots of servers.

[z-layrex]

Just like the ps3 won this generation in the long term no seriously tho all fanboyish comments aside the cloud was built for DRM and nothing else just as steam and origin use the cloud all the cloud is, is a fancy word for lots of servers.

 

http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/titanfall-developers-spell-out-benefits-of-xbox-one-cloud/

 

 

The next-gen mech shooter Titanfall would not be possible without Microsoft’s Xbox One cloud services, according to Respawn Entertainment engineer Jon Shiring. The cloud is tied into Microsoft’s controversial online policies for the new console, and it’s been the subject of confusion and ire from gamers. Shiring took to Respawn’s blog to explain the benefits from a developer’s perspective.

 

According to Shiring, Microsoft’s dedicated servers are the perfect solution to a long-standing problem. Console games with online multiplayer aspects typically use player-hosted servers because dedicated servers are expensive and tough to implement, but dedicated servers offer a superior experience. Microsoft’s dedicated cloud servers allow Respawn to implement more and better AI, physics, and environments, eliminate the “host advantage†that plagues many online games, thwart some forms of cheating, boost matchmaking speeds, eliminate the need to pause the game when the host player quits, and improve visuals and audio by taking full advantage of the console hardware and leaving other tasks to the cloud processors.

 

The cloud services aren’t limited to Xbox One games either, and Respawn uses them for the Windows PC and Xbox 360 versions of Titanfall as well. Respawn approached both Sony and Microsoft about this problem, and Microsoft was the one to implement a solution, Shiring writes.

“Microsoft realized that player-hosted servers are actually holding back online gaming and that this is something that they could help solve, and ran full-speed with this idea,†he writes. “So they built this powerful system to let us create all sorts of tasks that they will run for us, and it can scale up and down automatically as players come and go.â€

 

“We want to focus on making awesome games, not on becoming giant worldwide server hosting providers,†he continues. “The more time I can spend on making our actual game better, the more our players benefit.â€

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/titanfall-developers-spell-out-benefits-of-xbox-one-cloud/#ixzz2cMfqxZm4 

[LestaFox92]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/titanfall-developers-spell-out-benefits-of-xbox-one-cloud/

 

Exactly what I just said it's just a shit load of servers that's not even solely used by X1 it seems like sony just wasn't that intrested in titanfall for whatever reason be it right or wrong.

[The Horse's Mouth]

If nothing else, the Playstation fan base's behaviour over the last generation and moving into the next has made me never wanted to be counted as a part of that community to be honest. Always so bitter and elitist, always with something to prove. Hauntingly similar to Apple fans actually.

 

MS have made some stupid decisions, but they still have the better format, because it's Xbox. Did you know Titanfall (the single most awarded game in E3 history btw) isn't on the PS4 because Sony couldn't offer the cloud infrastructure required to run it? Xbox Live is just vastly superior and always will be. It is both far more secure against both in and out of game hackers.

 

The system is built to last for 10 years in both hardware and because of the cloud. Microsoft have built for the future and at least they try to innovate. What have Sony done? Here's another boring Playstation.

 

Not to mention the Xbox has what is widely regarded as the best controller in the world, and it has only been improved with the One. Do you have any idea how much money was spent on improving an already near-perfect controller?

 

They will still win this generation in the long term, just wait and see. Now all we need is a cheaper launch bundle without ****ing Kinect.

[Legend_in_blue]

I haven't got the time to go shooting people in some COD clone involving mechs, however good it looks. I just want something you switch on and play the odd game on here or there without any fuss since I just do not have the time to sit down for hours on end on some online version of COD or similar. So Microsoft and their cloud service just isn't appealing enough for people like me in my situation where time is short.

I haven't got time to act like a tit in front of a kinnect either.

[MrSpaM]

If nothing else, the Playstation fan base's behaviour over the last generation and moving into the next has made me never wanted to be counted as a part of that community to be honest. Always so bitter and elitist, always with something to prove. Hauntingly similar to Apple fans actually.

MS have made some stupid decisions, but they still have the better format, because it's Xbox. Did you know Titanfall (the single most awarded game in E3 history btw) isn't on the PS4 because Sony couldn't offer the cloud infrastructure required to run it? Xbox Live is just vastly superior and always will be. It is both far more secure against both in and out of game hackers.

The system is built to last for 10 years in both hardware and because of the cloud. Microsoft have built for the future and at least they try to innovate. What have Sony done? Here's another boring Playstation.

Not to mention the Xbox has what is widely regarded as the best controller in the world, and it has only been improved with the One. Do you have any idea how much money was spent on improving an already near-perfect controller?

They will still win this generation in the long term, just wait and see. Now all we need is a cheaper launch bundle without ****ing Kinect.

"XBox is better because it has an xbox logo on it"

[shearfox]

Seems that I have just read that each Xbox one is coming with FIFA!

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/fifa-14xbox-one-bundle-set-for-gamescom-reveal/0120326

[z-layrex]

"XBox is better because it has an xbox logo on it"

Where did I type that? Whilst worded badly, my point was that Xbox is better because of the massive online infrastructure behind it. It's why the 360 is superior to the Ps3 on my opinion and it's why the One will be superior to the Ps4 (in my opinion!).

[Foxhateram]

Seems that I have just read that each Xbox one is coming with FIFA!http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/fifa-14xbox-one-bundle-set-for-gamescom-reveal/0120326

This is so desperate and it STILL doesn't justify he 80 quid more. Fifa retails at 40 quid as well, not 54.95 as quoted. What rubbish!

[Finnaldo]

PC is superior to both. Moderate price (£350) cheaper games (most new games go for around £15-£35) and much better graphics. Consoles only have certain exclusives and other than Halo and The Last of Us you're not missing much. The Next Gen exclusives look crap as well.

[Haydos]

PC is superior to both. Moderate price (£350) cheaper games (most new games go for around £15-£35) and much better graphics. Consoles only have certain exclusives and other than Halo and The Last of Us you're not missing much. The Next Gen exclusives look crap as well.

 

You won't get a half decent PC for £350, especially not if you want a GPU as well. Consoles have much better exclusives. As a PC gamer as well, stop being a tit/ go back to school.

[Finnaldo]

You won't get a half decent PC for £350, especially not if you want a GPU as well. Consoles have much better exclusives. As a PC gamer as well, stop being a tit/ go back to school.

My computer is £350. And it runs pretty much all games with much better graphics and frame rates than their console equivalents.

You can build it on your own with no experience from a couple of tutorials, plus no need to drop to childish insults because you disagree, especially when you're wrong.

[Legend_in_blue]

You can barely get a decent graphics card for £350.  What are you bolting this thing together with - Meccano?  Besides, even with a top alienware gaming rig, you'd still have to put up with directX updates on a monthly basis and the dreaded blue screen.

 

I'd rather switch something on and be gaming without driver mishaps within 30 seconds.

 

Oh, and things look quite tasty on a plasma.  No PC monitors can quite deal with black levels like a Panasonic plasma can! 

[Legend_in_blue]

November 29 people.  Mark it in your diaries! 

[whoareyaaa]

PS4 is due out in US on 15th and we have to wait a further 14 days for the Europe release WHY?