Xbox One update plays up the 'game' part of console.
November 14, 2015.
by Matt Day, The Seattle Times.
Microsoft is giving the Xbox One a new look as the company tries to focus its video-game console on its main function: gaming.
On Thursday, Microsoft will start rolling out the biggest software update for the device since its launch two years ago.
Most people will notice the change as a visual face-lift designed to cut the time it takes to find and start up games, chat with friends or watch videos. Also arriving with the update is the ability to play some games designed for the earlier Xbox 360.
The shifts come as Microsoft tries to make up ground it has lost to rival Sony since both companies released their latest game consoles in late 2013. The PlayStation 4 has maintained its predecessor's sales lead internationally and wrestled the top spot in the U.S. from Xbox, too.
The Xbox One, the third version of the game-console line Microsoft first released in 2001, represented a departure for the Seattle-area company. The device was pitched to consumers as a home-entertainment hub, a bid to broaden its appeal beyond gamers and open for Microsoft such entertainment realms as video streaming and even original films or TV shows.
The approach fell short. Gamers weren't as interested in a living-room hub and were turned off by unpopular policies, repealed before the console's release, that would have required an Internet connection to play games offline and restricted use of game discs.
Within the Xbox team now, "there is a focus on the core consumer, what they do, what they want to do, what they like," said Mike Ybarra, a director of program management at Microsoft, who oversees the design of the console's software and Xbox Live online subscription service.
"They wanted the ability to do common tasks faster and easier. That's really the No. 1 goal we have," Ybarra said.
The Xbox One's old tile-icon-based interface, a cousin of Microsoft's Windows 8 personal-computer operating system, gives way in the update to a vertically arranged home page that takes users to their most-used features and saved items with one or two clicks of a controller.
Meanwhile, an always-accessible bar on the left allows quick access, even within games, to Xbox Live social-media features and the device's settings.
Brian Blau, an analyst who tracks video gaming with researcher Gartner and has tried the new software, said the update is a significant departure. In the previous interface, he said, "you had to dive into menus and submenus and tiles; not all of it was laid out logically. The redesign makes the whole system easier."
Also high on gamers' wish lists, and arriving Thursday, is the ability to play games built for the previous version of Xbox.
New game consoles typically make gamers' existing libraries obsolete, and Microsoft sees the new functionality as a selling point to persuade Xbox 360 users to get the latest model.
Microsoft says 104 Xbox 360 games will work on the Xbox One on Thursday. More are coming, a process that depends on user requests and Microsoft's ability to negotiate deals with publishers to approve their games' use on the newer device.
Ybarra says it's hard to understate the engineering hurdle such backward compatibility presented.
"It's like filling up your (gasoline) car with diesel," Ybarra said. "The guts inside those systems are completely different, they run on different code, and you have to find a way to translate that."
Microsoft is jealously guarding the advance, to the point that a spokesman interrupted when a reporter asked for a basic idea of what made it possible.
Sony's game-studio chief told video-game news website Polygon the technology "must be very challenging," and said the Japanese company had no plans for a similar feature on PlayStation.
Microsoft is also trying to build ties between the Xbox and the massive audience of PC gamers using Windows. Xbox owners since July have been able to stream and play Xbox games using a Windows 10 PC screen.
Down the line, gamers on a laptop are expected to be able to square off against friends plugged in to a console if game developers enable the function.
More links are coming, Microsoft says, enabled by better lines of communication internally after the groups within Microsoft that make Xbox and Windows were joined in the same, mammoth organization within the company.
"It's a fundamental shift in how we think about gaming," said Mike Lavin, a marketing manager with Xbox Live. "We're progressing on the ability to stop playing on one device and pick up on another."
The effort to take advantage of Windows gaming on PCs or smartphones is an opportunity not as readily available to Sony or Nintendo, Gartner's Blau said.
"No one is going to go out and buy a new console because of a new user interface," Blau said. Still, he added, "When you think about how Microsoft can make up the difference (with Sony), these are the kind of steps they need."
©2015 The Seattle Times.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Recommended for you.
Engineers make microfluidics modular using the popular interlocking blocks.
Chemists follow molecules down 'nanowells,' track catalytic reactions in nanoconfinement.
Corralling xenon gas out of waste streams.
New method calculates equilibrium constant at the small scale.
Skin-inspired coating that's as hard as teeth and can heal itself.
Super-resolution microscopy reveals fine detail of cellular mesh.
Clues from an endangered blue whale population.
Glory from gloom.
Engineers 3-D print shape-shifting smart gel.
Colorado potato beetle genome gives insight into major agricultural pest.
Explore further.
Sony doubles PlayStation storage in Xbox counter.
Sony next month will release a new PlayStation 4 with double the storage capacity, countering Microsoft's recent release of a beefed-up version of rival console Xbox One.
Sony cuts PlayStation 4 price to match Xbox One.
Sony sliced $50 off the price of PlayStation 4 video game consoles Thursday, matching that of rival Xbox One ahead of the frantic holiday shopping season.
Rumor: Xbox 360 games to be playable on Windows 8 PC's.
(PhysOrg.com) -- A number of different sites are reporting the rumors that are making gamers ears twitch. The rumor says that Microsoft is about to make a big addition to the desktop version of its upcoming Windows 8 operating .
Microsoft beefs up Xbox ahead of major E3 event.
Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled an Xbox One console with double the memory space that will hit the market as the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game extravaganza gets under way next week.
Old video games get new life on Xbox One consoles.
Microsoft played to the hearts of gamers on Monday with word that they will be able to switch on beloved old video games on new-generation Xbox One consoles.
Microsoft says used games will work on Xbox One.
Microsoft's upcoming Xbox One gaming console will be able to play used games, clearing up a worry among gamers and video game retailers such as GameStop, which trade in used games.
Xbox One update plays up the ‘game’ part of console.
It’s being billed as the Xbox One’s biggest software update since the game console was launched two years ago, and it rolls out Thursday.
Share story.
Microsoft is giving the Xbox One a new look as the company tries to focus its video-game console on its main function: gaming.
On Thursday, Microsoft will start rolling out the biggest software update for the device since its launch two years ago.
Most people will notice the change as a visual face-lift designed to cut the time it takes to find and start up games, chat with friends or watch videos. Also arriving with the update is the ability to play some games designed for the earlier Xbox 360.
The shifts come as Microsoft tries to make up ground it has lost to rival Sony since both companies released their latest game consoles in late 2013. The PlayStation 4 has maintained its predecessor’s sales lead internationally and wrestled the top spot in the U.S. from Xbox, too.
Most Read Stories.
The Xbox One, the third version of the game-console line Microsoft first released in 2001, represented a departure for the Redmond company. The device was pitched to consumers as a home-entertainment hub, a bid to broaden its appeal beyond gamers and open for Microsoft such entertainment realms as video streaming and even original films or TV shows.
The approach fell short. Gamers weren’t as interested in a living-room hub and were turned off by unpopular policies, repealed before the console’s release, that would have required an Internet connection to play games offline and restricted use of game discs.
Within the Xbox team now, “there is a focus on the core consumer, what they do, what they want to do, what they like,” said Mike Ybarra, a director of program management at Microsoft, who oversees the design of the console’s software and Xbox Live online subscription service.
“They wanted the ability to do common tasks faster and easier. That’s really the No. 1 goal we have,” Ybarra said.
The Xbox One’s old tile-icon-based interface, a cousin of Microsoft’s Windows 8 personal-computer operating system, gives way in the update to a vertically arranged home page that takes users to their most-used features and saved items with one or two clicks of a controller.
Meanwhile, an always-accessible bar on the left allows quick access, even within games, to Xbox Live social-media features and the device’s settings.
Brian Blau, an analyst who tracks video gaming with researcher Gartner and has tried the new software, said the update is a significant departure. In the previous interface, he said, “you had to dive into menus and submenus and tiles; not all of it was laid out logically. The redesign makes the whole system easier.”
Also high on gamers’ wish lists, and arriving Thursday, is the ability to play games built for the previous version of Xbox.
New game consoles typically make gamers’ existing libraries obsolete, and Microsoft sees the new functionality as a selling point to persuade Xbox 360 users to get the latest model.
Microsoft says 104 Xbox 360 games will work on the Xbox One on Thursday. More are coming, a process that depends on user requests and Microsoft’s ability to negotiate deals with publishers to approve their games’ use on the newer device.
Ybarra says it’s hard to understate the engineering hurdle such backward compatibility presented.
“It’s like filling up your [gasoline] car with diesel,” Ybarra said. “The guts inside those systems are completely different, they run on different code, and you have to find a way to translate that.”
Microsoft is jealously guarding the advance, to the point that a spokesman interrupted when a reporter asked for a basic idea of what made it possible.
Sony’s game-studio chief told video-game news website Polygon the technology “must be very challenging,” and said the Japanese company had no plans for a similar feature on PlayStation.
Microsoft is also trying to build ties between the Xbox and the massive audience of PC gamers using Windows. Xbox owners since July have been able to stream and play Xbox games using a Windows 10 PC screen.
Down the line, gamers on a laptop are expected to be able to square off against friends plugged in to a console if game developers enable the function.
More links are coming, Microsoft says, enabled by better lines of communication internally after the groups within Microsoft that make Xbox and Windows were joined in the same, mammoth organization within the company.
“It’s a fundamental shift in how we think about gaming,” said Mike Lavin, a marketing manager with Xbox Live. “We’re progressing on the ability to stop playing on one device and pick up on another.”
The effort to take advantage of Windows gaming on PCs or smartphones is an opportunity not as readily available to Sony or Nintendo, Gartner’s Blau said.
“No one is going to go out and buy a new console because of a new user interface,” Blau said. Still, he added, “When you think about how Microsoft can make up the difference (with Sony), these are the kind of steps they need.”
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only, and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.
Blue Gears of War Xbox One Controller.
Service Types.
When selecting the Pre-Built option, GamerModz uses a brand new OEM controller from Sony or Microsoft and mods it to your specifications. Please note, all orders are custom made to order.
The send-in service is a great value as it offers you a less expensive alternative when purchasing a controller. This option requires you to send-in your working controller to be modded. Please note, we cannot begin with your order until we receive your controller. Please click here for a more detailed description of our Send-in Service.
The "Parts Only" option is for customers who would like to mod the look of their controller themselves as a DIY Project. The "Parts Only" option does NOT include the internal electronics.
Mod Descriptions.
MEGA MOD ( Every Mod we make, plus Pro Buttons!)
Remappable Pro Button Mod Pack Juggernaut 7.0 Mod Pack (Updated for Infinite Warfare, Black Ops 2 & Modern Warfare Remastered) Zombie Mod Pack SPS-X1 Rapid Fire Mod Pack Gears of War Mod Pack (Updated for Gears of War 4) Turbo Mod Pack PGA Tour Mod Pack The Golf Club Mod Pack Mortal Kombat Mod Pack.
JUGGERNAUT (New version 7.0 - Updated with Jitter for Infinite Warfare, Black Ops 3 & Modern Warfare Remastered)
This is the most advanced modded controller in the industry for the Call of Duty series - Guaranteed! The Juggernaut mod allows you to use the existing buttons to enable/disable mods and program its features. This means there are NO holes drilled in your controller and NO buttons on the back. The Juggernaut is completely stealth and highly customizable; making it the most purchased Modded Controller in the industry.
Updated Feature: Jitter for Black Ops 2 and Modern Warfare Remastered have been added! NOTE: Jitter for Black Ops 3 has been patched for the final time (Jitter is a glitch). There is no, and will be no, more jitter for Black Ops 3. We recommend the Brecci with Rapid Fire or move to Infinite Warfare to benefit from Jitter.
All the mods listed below work for Call of Duty Infinite Warfare as well as earlier releases of Call of Duty, where applicable. Many of the mods also work for other FPS games as well, such as Destiny, Titanfall, Battlefield, Rainbow Six, etc.
The Juggernaut v7.0 Includes the following:
Attention Send-In Service Customers: You must have a new 3.5mm XB1 Controller to purchase the Juggernaut v7.0.
Our Turbo Controller has 3 profiles you can configure with turbo assigned to different buttons and different speeds. You are also able to program different turbo speeds!
The buttons that can be turbo’d are:
Single trigger re-programable rapid fire (Right Trigger Only) . Works on ALL FPS Games.
Single trigger OR dual trigger rapid fire. Settings allow for R2 Single Trigger, L2 Single Trigger, or Dual Trigger Rapid Fire. Works on all FPS Games.
Same features as the SPS-X2 PLUS the following: Burst Mode, 20 Modes of Rapid Fire (5 re-programmable modes and 15 preset modes). The 5 user-programmable modes are fully adjustable, re-programmable. Works on all FPS Games.
Compatible Games: PGA Tour 2014, PGA Tour 2013, Master's Collection 2014, Master's Collection 2013.
Love playing PGA Tour Golf? We do too. The GamerModz engineering team has developed 3 new exclusive mods - MAX PERFECT SWING, PERFECT SWING & MAX SPIN - for the PGA Tour Golf Game Series to help you crush your competitors. All three mods are activated using the very latest GamerModz LED Pro Mod Buttons - installed on the back of the controller. The LED Pro Mod Buttons allow you to use your controller as a standard controller while at the same time giving you access to the mods when you want them.
The GamerModz Exclusive PGA Tour Golf Mod Includes the Following:
Max Perfect Swing - Swing any club in your bag with MAX POWER and PERFECT SWING, every time Perfect Swing - Swing any club in your bag perfectly - including your putter - while still maintaining the ability to adjust power Max Spin - Create MAX SPIN on any shot - Great for long fairway shots or to recover from a poor shot.
GEARS OF WAR ( Updated to inlcude Gears of War 4)
The GamerModz Gears of War Mod actually includes THREE (3) mod packs. We have included the SPS-X1 Mod Pack at no charge - FREE - so that you can use the controller on ANY First Person Shooter game. Easily cycle between the mod pack you would like to use.
Mode 1: Gears of War 4 Mod Pack.
Auto Mark - Automatically marks enemy for your team when scoped in Smart Active Reload - Reload perfectly everytime for every weapon Snub Pistol Rapid Fire - Automatically Enabled when using Snub Pistol Auto Chainsaw - When using the Lancer, simply tap the "B" button for Chainsaw Auto Self Revive - One Button Press Revive for Self Auto Teammate Revive - One Button Press Revive for Teammate.
Mode 2: Gears of War Ultimate Mod Pack.
Smart Active Reload - Reload perfectly everytime for every weapon Snub Pistol Rapid Fire - Automatically Enabled when using Snub Pistol Auto Chainsaw - When using the Lancer, simply tap the "B" button for Chainsaw Auto Self Revive - One Button Press Revive for Self Auto Teammate Revive - One Button Press Revive for Teammate.
Mode 3: SPS-X1 Rapid Fire Mod.
Do you hate destroying your enemy only to forget or mess up the fatality? Here at GamerModz we know how frustrating this can be. To help you, the GamerModz programmers have developed the Mortal Kombat X fatality mod. The Mortal Kombat X Fatality Mod is pre-loaded with every available fatality for every available character. All fatality mods are activated using the very latest GamerModz LED pro Buttons - installed on the back of your controller.
Pro Buttons.
The GamerModz LED Pro Buttons provide you with the ability to remap ANY (2) buttons to the back of the controller. * With 5 individual, fully re-programmable remappable modes, you can have 5 different remap setups allowing you scalability between games, classes, load-outs, etc.
Ditch the un-comfortable paddles or crummy tactile switches others may sell. The GamerModz LED Pro-Buttons are optimally located for easy access and have a smooth feel with tactile feedback.
Warranty Information.
All GamerModz controllers come with a Standard 30-day Warranty starting from the day of delivery. This covers all parts and labor for Pre-Built controllers. Some exclusions apply for Send-In Service and Parts Only Orders.
This warranty does not cover excessive wear or accidental damage to the controller including, but not limited to: spilled drinks or food on the controller, dropping the controller, or mishandling it. Please note that, opening your controller will VOID your warranty.
Select the 1-Year Extended Warranty option to extend coverage for the Mods for an additional year. (Not applicable to Parts Only orders)
Return Policy.
All returns must be initiated within 7 days of reciept. Once we receive your return, we will notify you of receipt via email and initiate a refund less shipping costs.
A $20.00 restocking fee will be applied to all "Pre-Built" or "Send-In" Orders.
GamerModz reserves the right to deny any return for refund outside the 7-day window or for controllers that have been tampered with or opened.
TechRadar pro.
Xbox One: a good business investment?
Microsoft has pushed the workplace value of the games console.
Microsoft has recently pitched the Xbox One as a worthwhile business investment. In a competitive console market in which Sony is about to launch its PlayStation 4, it's hardly surprising that Microsoft is doing everything it can to boost sales ahead of the Xbox One's launch in November.
Since the release of the PlayStation 2 in 2000, games consoles have been branching out into media such as DVD and Blu-ray. But now the devices are being pitched as complete home entertainment hubs, the main selling point being their ability to stream TV through apps for services such as Netflix and LoveFilm.
This is where the business use case comes in. If Microsoft is able to create an ecosystem, supported by developers and aimed at enterprises, the £429 Xbox One could indeed work as a business hub as well.
But Microsoft's recent blog plugging the Xbox One's business uses - which has since been deleted - has been dismissed by many as a marketing ploy. Writing the blogpost, Marques Lyons, Xbox MVP, advised SMBs to think seriously about getting the device for a small office.
Networking potential.
According to Lyons, the Xbox One "is an affordable option for small business owners, as there are many features built into the console that could help it rival even the most modest of videoconferencing and networking platforms".
Among its uses, the Xbox One provides access to Microsoft's soon-to-be renamed SkyDrive cloud service using a dedicated app, so you can share images, videos, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
But this is nothing you can't do on your PC. And unlike hardware such as the Raspberry Pi device, the Xbox One doesn't have multiple business functions straight out of the box.
Yet using it within a business isn't entirely ridiculous. If you are going to buy an Xbox One anyway - or you're in need of a decent telecommunications system - the upcoming games console could be the answer. The Kinect motion sensor that comes with the Xbox One does have additional power and functionality, as well as the potential to work with business apps in the future.
"Ultimately in my view the appeal of the hardware out of the box is limited," says Adam Holtby, ITSM Research Analyst at Ovum. But he adds that some firms may be able to leverage the device for collaboration, such as developing integration between Skype, Yammer and videoconferencing.
Social information.
For example, the device's Snap feature, comprising a dual screen, could bring up social information while a firm is talking to a sales client to find out about the customer while speaking to them, Holtby suggests.
He points out that the Kinect sensor is intelligent, so in the near future it could have many more innovative uses for business, depending on whether the right apps are created for it.
"You only have to look at the previous Kinect to know it went beyond what Microsoft intended and it was leveraged and used for a host of different apps. So it depends on how Microsoft evolves this," he says.
The user interface makes it possible to build business apps to use on the Kinect, agrees Brian Blau, Research Director at Gartner. "It's an entertainment device," he says. "It looks like it will compete with Sony and it also integrates with their own app ecosystem. So this links with business; but what are the real life apps that you would use?"
Blau says that using Kinect and Skype together "could be very interesting". This would see the Kinect used as a camera and track people in the room; or potentially use gesture as the user interface control, he says.
Visual computing.
SMBs that rely on visuals, such as design or architecture firms, could potentially use the Xbox One as a visual computing device. The Kinect can also be used in health for physical body tracking, Blau says, citing the example of a demo at last year's E3 conference using the sensor for monitoring the heartbeat.
Over the next few years, business apps in the medical, manufacturing, product design, computer aided design and medical data visuals industries could also emerge. But Blau points out: "Someone has to write the apps and who is going to do that? Developers have to either pay Microsoft or jump through hoops to publish the apps. There has to be a big enough market for them to do this."
Microsoft has been criticised by the gaming industry for making it difficult for indie developers to create applications. More recently, however, the firm announced a u-turn allowing indie developers to self-publish on the Xbox One, which could help the creation of business apps in the long term.
Yet Microsoft will have to substantially support the creation of business apps to make it an attractive market for developers. "If Microsoft are going to deliver on their promise, it's down to them to create an ecosystem for business apps. It's up to them to show SMBs how it can be used," Holtby says.
He cites Apple as an example of a firm that's already done this well. "The iPad is a great example; its real strength is in the apps. If Microsoft takes a certain route, it can encourage this further and it could succeed."
The soon-to-be-released Xbox One currently has little use for most SMBs, but there are some useful business capabilities - particularly if your firm depends on Skype and SkyDrive – and it's worth watching developments. If Microsoft delivers an ecosystem and the apps start coming, the Xbox One could be a very useful device to have in a small office in a year or two.
Related news.
NET: The Money Issue worth £5.99.
Join 13,000 TechRadar Pro subscribers!
Sign up for a new, free business service from TechRadar Pro to help you in your job delivering high value, original content direct to your inbox.
SIM only deals: the best plans in January 2018.
Online stores are starting to offer deals to tackle inflated graphics card prices.
Now TV Smart Stick review.
Samsung Galaxy S9 release date, price, news and rumors.
The best free video editor 2018.
3 reasons why now is a terrible time to buy a new smartphone.
Exciting new iOS 12 features reportedly shelved so Apple can focus on reliability.
Online stores are starting to offer deals to tackle inflated graphics card prices.
Google buys part of HTC's phone business, including Pixel team.
Steven Soderbergh's new movie was shot entirely on iPhones.
TechRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury , Bath BA1 1UA . All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Microsoft Aims Xbox One X at Hardcore Gamers for Holidays.
The new Xbox One X unveiling on June 11.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg.
Microsoft Corp. announced a worldwide release date of Nov. 7 for what the company said will be its smallest and most powerful video-game console ever, the Xbox One X.
The device, which will be priced at $499, is designed to work with a new generation of 4K television sets that offer greater picture quality as well as games that offer ever-more-realistic scenes of car races and fantasy worlds. Microsoft made the announcement Sunday at an event in Los Angeles before the start of Electronic Entertainment Expo this week. The new console will also be compatible with older Xbox games and accessories.
Microsoft and rival Sony Corp. are trying to update their video-game machines more frequently to phase out the notion of upgrading once every seven years or so -- the rate at which companies traditionally have released a new generation of consoles. Microsoft’s latest machine is designed for the high-end gamer who wants the best features and performance and who owns a TV capable of displaying the most advanced graphics.
“They are trying to attract people who want to be able to use the advanced features of TVs they’ve invested in,” said Brian Blau, an analyst at Gartner Inc. “Not everyone will want that if they can get a good experience on the less-expensive console.”
Pricing Stumbles.
Microsoft has previously stumbled by pricing an older Xbox too high. Initial sales for the Xbox One when it debuted in 2013 were hurt by the $499 price tag, and only picked up after the cost was cut. Sony faced similar issues in 2006 when it released the PlayStation 3, which cost $500 to $600.
“Price has played an important role in the launch success,” said Mike Vorhaus, president of consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates. “The guy with the less expensive box has done very well. I expect that will continue, absent some amazing paradigm shift.”
While console makers have failed to demonstrate demand for a machine that requires an investment of more than $400, Microsoft is hoping the strategy will appeal to the most dedicated gamers. That focus marks a continued shift back to its core gaming demographic, after the Redmond, Washington-based company was faulted by some for targeting the initial Xbox One at more of a general entertainment audience.
Microsoft showed off 42 games at the event, from the Egyptian-themed Assassin’s Creed Origins to the Forza Motorsport 7 racing game, which features a partnership with Porsche.
Special Edition Xbox 360 500GB Blue Bundle Revealed.
Microsoft appears to be releasing a special edition Xbox 360 500GB blue bundle according to a leaked Walmart flyer for North American midwest/southern regions.
The flyer first spotted by a Blu-Ray forum user has the bundle listed for $250 USD and shows a release date for October 7. The bundle will include a blue console, blue controller, Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. The ad also notes that the blue bundle is “only at Walmart”.
Standard Xbox 360 250GB consoles still retail for $300 USD.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for confirmation about the special edition blue bundle and will update this post with more information.
Michael Martin is a freelance writer from Seattle who is hopelessly addicted to pop culture t-shirts. Send help on Twitter.
© 1996-2018 Ziff Davis, LLC.
We have updated our PRIVACY POLICY and encourage you to read it by clicking here.
IGN uses cookies and other tracking technologies to customize online advertisements, and for other purposes. IGN supports the Digital Advertising Alliance principles. Learn More.
The Straits Times.
The new Xbox One X is introduced at the Xbox E3 2017 Press Conference in Los Angeles on June 11, 2017 PHOTO: EPA.
LOS ANGELES (AFP, BLOOMBERG) - Microsoft on Sunday (June 11) unveiled the Xbox One X - billing it as the most powerful video console ever made, and escalating a battle with market king PlayStation.
The US$499 product was built with the muscle for seamless play on ultra-high definition 4K televisions and will be available worldwide on Nov 7, according to Xbox team leader Phil Spencer. The new console will also be compatible with older Xbox games and accessories.
In Singapore, the Xbox One X will sell for S$699.
Mr Spencer introduced the much anticipated Xbox One X, called Scorpio during development, at a Microsoft event ahead of the official opening of the major Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles.
Microsoft and rival Sony are trying to update their video-game machines more frequently to phase out the notion of upgrading once every seven years or so - the rate at which companies traditionally have released a new generation of consoles.
Microsoft's latest machine is designed for the high-end gamer who wants the best features and performance and who owns a TV capable of displaying the most advanced graphics. "They are trying to attract people who want to be able to use the advanced features of TV sets they've invested in," said Gartner analyst Brian Blau. "Not everyone will want that if they can get a good experience on the less-expensive console."
Nintendo reveals new games at E3 to build on Switch's strength.
sony_e3.jpg.
Sony shows off slew of PlayStation-exclusive games on E3 2017's eve.
Made-in-Singapore online pirate game Skull & Bones revealed at Ubisoft pre-E3 event.
Microsoft has previously stumbled by pricing an older Xbox too high. Initial sales for the Xbox One when it debuted in 2013 were hurt by the US$499 price tag, and only picked up after the cost was cut.
Sony faced similar issues in 2006 when it released the PlayStation 3, which cost US$500 to US$600.
Said Mr Mike Vorhaus, president of consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates: "Price has played an important role in the launch success. The guy with the less expensive box has done very well. I expect that will continue, absent some amazing paradigm shift."
While console makers have failed to demonstrate demand for a machine that requires an investment of more than US$400, Microsoft is hoping the strategy will appeal to the most dedicated gamers.
That focus marks a continued shift back to its core gaming demographic, after the Redmond, Washington-based company was faulted by some for targeting the initial Xbox One at more of a general entertainment audience.
Aiming at the hearts of gamers, Microsoft also showed off at its event 42 coming games, with 22 titles being tailored for exclusive play on Xbox One consoles.
Independent publishers tend to make blockbuster titles available for play on Xbox, PlayStation and personal computer hardware in an effort to sell creations to as broad an audience as possible.
Keenly-anticipated new games shown off here include a new instalment of Assassin's Creed from France-based Ubisoft, intended to reboot the long-running franchise by taking players back to the "origins" of the storyline in ancient Egypt.
Game play on 4K screens, whether they be televisions or personal computer monitors, is expected to be among themes at E3 this week. Enabling ultra-rich visuals also tunes into the budding trend toward virtual reality games.
SWITCH SUPPLIES TIGHT.
Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) has dominated the latest generation of consoles, outselling Xbox One by two-to-one, according to industry trackers.
PS4 consoles from the outset could power virtual reality, and Sony sells head gear for those experiences.
PlayStation has also become the prime driver of revenue and profit at Japan-based entertainment giant Sony, according to executives.
"We are selling every single one we can make," Sony Interactive Entertainment worldwide studios chairman Shawn Layden said of PS4.
Nintendo's recently-launched Switch has been a winner, with fans snapping up the console and a Legend Of Zelda game that has become a must-play title for fans.
Demand for Switch consoles has been so intense since its launch early this year that the consoles are tough to find in stores and Nintendo has reportedly doubled production.
Switch launched at the start of March and some 2.74 million were sold by the end of that month, according to Nintendo.
Hot Switch sales also boosted shares of the Japanese company, which ran into a tough patch after it failed to build on the popularity of the first generation of Wii consoles.
PS4 and Xbox One are both performing better in the market than their respective predecessors, and Nintendo "is back in a big way" with Switch, according to NPD analyst Mat Piscatella.
Sony has sold close to 60 million PS4 consoles and will reveal its latest innovations and offerings at a press event on Monday, according to executives.
"We are in the 4K world already," Layden told AFP. "That is what the future of gaming is going to look like."
OLD GAMES MADE NEW.
Microsoft is also courting players by working to make more popular games from earlier Xbox console versions playable on its latest hardware.
Microsoft also just launched a subscription service for Xbox, letting players pay a monthly fee for access to a video games library for its console.
Sony makes a library of video games available as part of a subscription service for PlayStation consoles.
Branded Content.
Sponsored Content.
art1-rivercove-300x200_v2.jpg.
a1-27562_new-rotator_300x200.jpg.
uobam_a127634_300x200.jpg.
300x200.jpg.
Subscribe to The Straits Times.
iPhones and iPads.
The Straits Times.
SPH Digital News / Copyright © 2018 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved.
We have been experiencing some problems with subscriber log-ins and apologise for the inconvenience caused. Until we resolve the issues, subscribers need not log in to access ST Digital articles. But a log-in is still required for our PDFs.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий