Most of the details of Microsoft's upcoming Xbox One console have now been disclosed, and with Don Mattrick having now stepped out to quash any notion of problem pertaining used games and such, fans and prospective purchasers can now begin to look forward to the Xbox One release date. Naturally, the software maker has been vague with regards to a release date, but according to Amazon U. S., the console will be released on November 27th of this year, affording gamers plenty of time to snap it up before the big holiday rush.
Microsoft's ambiguous, stingy and questionable Xbox One DRM policy was dramatically ditched by the Redmond company after a backlash from bemused gamers, and that decision looks to be paying dividends already, with Xbox One pre-orders having surged ahead of the PlayStation 4 in the UK, according to Amazon. Don Mattrick piped up a short while ago to declare that the online checks on games and the policies concerning used games had been completely dropped, and since then, it would seem the gaming community sees the forthcoming Microsoft console as a much more palatable acquisition.
The stingy Xbox One used games policy has been picked apart considerably by the media and gaming world over the past couple of days, and now it has emerged that Microsoft's next-gen console may not function in unsupported countries. While Sony has stepped out and explained that the PlayStation 4 will have no issues with used games, ambiguity and uncertainty surrounds the Xbox One, and now a disclaimer posted on the Xbox.com website throws up a potential region-locking issue.
Microsoft had previously promised to show more upcoming Xbox One games at E3, because at the end of it all, when the hardware finally ships, it's all about the games. We are glad that the company kept to its word. Throughout their E3 press conference which was held earlier this week, Microsoft and its partners showed some of the blockbuster titles that we will all be looking forward to playing as this holiday season draws ever closer. and when the hardware finally ships, it's all about the games.
When a rumor takes hold prior to a big announcement, a few utterances can often escalate into pure scaremongering, and in the run-up to the grand unveiling of the next-gen games consoles, many had feared we were moving towards a generation of so-called 'always on' connections being a prerequisite for enjoying any game. Suffice to say, Sony has stepped out and confirmed that gamers can happily enjoy games without an Internet connection, and what's more, used titles can be played without any fuss.
Retail price of both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have been confirmed by their respective manufacturers. Here are all the details.
When Microsoft announced the Xbox One a couple of weeks ago, the big unveiling left more questions unanswered than it actually answered, especially when it came to things like the ability to lend games to a friend, or how resale of those games will work if at all. This caused something of an online backlash against the unreleased machine, and was something that Microsoft could have potentially avoided if it had had all its ducks in a row.
With Microsoft having held a special event last month to announce the Xbox One, the comparisons between it and Sony's PlayStation 4 have already begun. Irrespective of the features of each console, one area in which the battle could be won or lost is in pricing, and according to one analyst, the PS4 will start at $50 cheaper than it's Redmond-made rival. The utterances of Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter are merely predictions based upon the cost of materials used to make the consoles, but with the forthcoming PlayStation's components weighing in at $275 compared with the Xbox One's $325, Pachter reckons the former could start from $349, with the Xbox One costing $399.
Microsoft's Xbox One is a fairly good looking device. Yes, granted, it is a little bit set-top boxy for some people's liking, but all told, it will make a nice aesthetic impression on most living rooms. Some unofficial renders of the machine have just popped up on Sketchfab, and if you fancy taking a closer look at the forthcoming Microsoft console, now you can. Bear in mind, these are not endorsed officially by Microsoft, but since Xbox LIVE's Larry Hryb a.k.a. Major Nelson tweeted about the designs, they've at least been dealt an air of legitimacy.
The battle of the next-gen consoles is really hotting up, and both Microsoft and Sony will be vying for the attentions of the gaming faithful come the end of this year. In fact, the fight to secure the interests of gamers worldwide is already in full swing, with Sony having announced the PlayStation 4 back in February, and the announcement of the Xbox One last week finally put a name and a face to the plans of Redmond-based Microsoft. While some key details remain a mystery at this point in time, we now have a general idea of what to expect, and designer Ralph Cifra has put together a nice little infographic based on the information currently known.
