Xbox One
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First shots of Xbox One
Our pals Alexander and Ludwig are in Redmond right now for the Xbox reveal event. They've totally stood next to the Xbox One and, having taken the less selfish path of lording it over the rest of the staff, decided to snap a few pictures for all you lovely folks. Check out Microsoft's next-generation console, the Xbox One, in our gallery below!%Gallery-189003%
Building Xbox One: An inside look at Microsoft's play for the next generation of gaming
The engineers in Microsoft's windowless next-gen Xbox silicon lab are rattled. And understandably so. We're in their office, after all, and we have a mess of cameras in the one place you're not allowed to have cameras (or even cellphones). We're obviously outsiders on Microsoft's multi-building, security-heavy Mountain View campus, especially given our quartet of esteemed escorts: Todd Holmdahl, Ilan Spillinger, Nick Baker and Greg Williams. These four gentlemen are leading the charge on both Microsoft's next big thing and, perhaps more importantly, a major effort to internalize silicon architecture at the traditionally software-focused megacorp. The skittish engineers aren't worried we'll film the mess of 24-inch LCD screens running video-compression tests, or the rows of desks with water hose stations used for temperature stress tests, or even the sea of circuit boards in various states of disrepair -- that's all standard for any Silicon Valley computer lab. It's really just a single chip that's causing concern: a custom-built Microsoft SoC that sits at the heart of the Xbox One. It's this SoC that has us in Mountain View, Calif. -- in Silicon Valley, literally down the road from Google -- a mere five days before Microsoft will unveil its next game console to the world. Over six hours last Friday, we learned not just about that SoC, but also how the company plans to utilize it in the new console. We spoke with its four lead hardware architects. We toured the labs where they are testing the silicon, and where the next-generation Kinect was born. What follows is more than a look behind the silicon that drives the next Xbox -- it's a deep dive into the changing approach Microsoft's taking to creating devices.%Gallery-188921%
Xbox One features NFL live broadcasts, Smartglass, fantasy football
Microsoft will build a new relationship with the NFL on Xbox One. On Microsoft's new console, users will be able to take advantage of numerous interactive features available only on Xbox. These include Smartglass integration and the ability for users to see their fantasy football stats updated automatically while watching live broadcasts of the latest NFL games. Users will also be able to call and taunt their fantasy football friends via Skype.
Call of Duty's Xbox DLC exclusivity continues with Call of Duty: Ghosts
Activision announced that it will continue to release timed-exclusive Call of Duty content for Xbox platforms with this year's launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts. Microsoft hosted the worldwide premiere of Call of Duty: Ghosts at today's Xbox One reveal event. Currently, downloadable Call of Duty content is exclusive to the Xbox 360 for one month before it launches for other platforms. Microsoft and Activision's exclusivity agreement will continue with this year's launch of the Xbox One version of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Xbox One due 'later this year'
Microsoft's Don Mattrick revealed the Xbox One launches later this year. There's no word on a price or a more specific window, but we can expect to hear more at E3 next month.
Xbox Studios will release 15 exclusive One titles in the first year, eight new franchises
A number of launch titles have been mentioned at the Xbox One reveal event, but Microsoft Studios announced that it has more titles in development now than ever before. In fact, 15 exclusive Xbox One titles will launch in its first year and eight of those are brand-new franchises. Of course, we're still not exactly sure when that countdown will be begin, but perhaps we'll catch a glimpse of the software goods in a few days at E3.
Xbox One getting 15 exclusive games in its first year from Microsoft Studios [Update]
Update: The exclusive games are coming from Microsoft Studios specifically, as the announcement was made by studio head Phil Spencer. There may be more exclusive games for the system in its first year, depending on the Xbox One's third-party support. The Xbox One will receive at least 15 exclusive games in the system's first year, Microsoft announced at today's next-gen Xbox reveal event. Of the 15 games, eight of them will be brand-new franchises. At the event, EA's Andrew Wilson revealed that four EA Sports games in the FIFA, Madden, EA Sports UFC and NBA Live series will launch with the Xbox One, though none were named as exclusive to the system. Remedy announced Quantum Break at the event as well.
'Quantum Break' from Remedy comes to Xbox One [Update: Trailer]
Quantum Break is a new game from Remedy, developer of the Alan Wake series, coming to the Xbox One, Microsoft Studios head Phil Spencer said. The Quantum Break tagline is, "Time is the fire in which we burn." The teaser video opens with a live-action family preparing to leave their house, and a little girl with some sort of special power. The game footage shows a ship as it crashes into a large bridge – and then time stops and reverses. "The actions you take and the choices you make shape your experience as the story unfolds," Spencer said. Update: Don't believe us? Check out the trailer for yourself.
Microsoft announces Forza Motorsport 5, coming to the Xbox One [Update: Now with trailer!]
Microsoft has announced Forza Motorsport 5, set for an exclusive release on the newly revealed Xbox One. A short trailer shown at today's Xbox reveal event featured branded cars and car parts racing around some nicely rendered real world locations. The game will be developed as usual by Turn 10 Studios, and available at launch (which Microsoft says will be later on this year) for the new console. Update: Trailer added! Update 2: Screens too! %Gallery-189057%
Xbox Live powered by server boost, cloud computing for Xbox One
At its Xbox One reveal event today, Microsoft announced that it plans on having over 300,000 servers powering the console's expanded Xbox Live service. The server bump represents a significant increase over the 15,000 servers that power Xbox Live currently. Player content will be saved via cloud storage, equipping players with a "dedicated game DVR" to capture live gameplay moments for future playback. The Xbox One's overhauled Achievements system is "dynamic and changing," and boasts "more ways to earn, more frequent updates and the ability to share wins with friends." Video capture will play a role in the way players earn and display Achievements with the Xbox One. Hardcore Achievement hunters won't need to worry about their Gamerscores, either, as all Gamerscore points earned in Xbox 360 titles will carry over to the Xbox One. Microsoft also revealed that the Xbox One's multiplayer matchmaking allows for "bigger matches with more players" and "living and persistent worlds." In addition, Xbox Live's asynchronous capabilities will allow players search for multiplayer matches while browsing the web, watching movies, or listening to music on the Xbox One.
Xbox One controller has new D-pad, integrated battery compartment
While the new console and Kinect might get the lion's share of attention at the Xbox Reveal, the good ol' Xbox controller is getting some redesign love on the Xbox One as well. The control will feature an integrated battery compartment, Wi-Fi Direct, "impulse triggers" that incorporate extra feedback and, most important of all, a cross-shaped "precision" D-Pad.
EA, Microsoft enter into 'special relationship,' FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14, UFC on Xbox One [Update]
Andrew Wilson, EA Sports boss, took to the stage at Microsoft's Xbox One event and confirmed that EA and Microsoft have entered into a "special relationship." This will see four EA Sports games on Xbox One: FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14 and UFC. All four will launch within the next 12 months, Wilson said. EA Sports Ignite, a new engine created at EA, will power each game, attempting to emulate human intelligence and true player motion within each games. There are "four times more calculations per second" to achieve this. Special content for FIFA 14 Ultimate Team will "only be on Xbox," Wilson concluded before showing off an EA Sports sizzle reel. Update: EA has clarified via Twitter that FIFA 14 Ultimate Team will be available on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, though there will be content exclusive to the Xbox One version. The text of this post has been updated to reflect that.
Next-gen Kinect sensor unveiled for Xbox One, paired with 'every' system
Microsoft unveiled the successor to the Xbox 360's Kinect add-on, and revealed it'll be paired with "every" Xbox One. It features a 1080P HD RGB camera which can be used with Skype, 30 FPS color, and an increased field-of-view. Among other voice commands, which let you instantly switch between playing a game, live TV, wathing movies, playing music, or browsing the web, Kinect's mic lets you turn on the new system by saying "Xbox On."
Xbox One runs three operating systems, including cut-down Windows for apps
The latest update out of the currently unfolding announcement in Redmond: the next-generation Xbox will run three operating systems simultaneously. Complementing Windows 8 and RT on PCs and tablets, there'll be a third distinct version of Microsoft's operating system that has been pared down specifically for the new console. This will be the main system OS used to run apps such as Skype and other non-game titles downloaded from the Xbox storefront. At the same time, virtualization technology similar to Microsoft's Hyper-V will be used to allocate the bulk of system resources to a second, dedicated "Xbox OS" when the user loads up a game. This game OS will remain a fixed entity throughout the life of the console, so that game developers can be confident their games will run regardless of how much the Windows side of the machine gets updated. Finally, the third OS sounds like a small layer to assist with the virtualization, allowing the two main personalities of the console to talk to each other. Read on for more.
Xbox One hardware and specs: 8-core CPU, 8GB RAM, 500GB hard drive and more
Slot-loading Blu-ray drive? Check. HDMI out and in? Absolutely, considering the Xbox One is meant to play a central role in the living room. There's an octa-core processor based on AMD's Jaguar design and 8GB of RAM to go up against the Sony PlayStation 4, plus USB 3.0 ports, 500GB of hard drive storage, WiFi Direct for communicating with the new controller and other devices, and a humungous amount of silicon to drive it all: no fewer than five billion transistors, which compares to 1.4 billion in your average Intel or AMD chip (although Microsoft may have included other processors and DSPs in that count). And just in case you're wondering, the switch to an x86 PC-style architecture will indeed preclude backwards compatibility with 360 games. As for the box itself, well, it looks rather a like a little HTPC with a black and silver case and a big Xbox logo -- a visage that actually tallies with those PC-inspired internals. There's a full list of specs after the break, which we're expanding as more details pour out of Microsoft's Xbox One ongoing launch event.
Xbox One allows group Skype video calls
Microsoft's next-gen console, the Xbox One, will offer Skype in widescreen HD and will allow group video calls, Yusuf Mehdi said during the next-gen Xbox reveal event today. Skype on Xbox One will run with the Snap feature, which allows multiple apps to run simultaneously, as demonstrated by David Jurenka and his beautifully groomed living room, shown alongside a movie.
Xbox One 'Snap' mode lets apps run simultaneously
Xbox One, Microsoft's upcoming next-generation console, will allow multiple apps to run simultaneously through Snap mode. Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi demonstrated the functionality while watching Star Trek, allowing him to instantly access Internet Explorer through the Xbox One to research trailers for the sequel film, look up movie times and even purchase tickets. The ESPN app also showed off some Snap stuff, letting Xbox One users watch live sports on ESPN, then using Snap to research stats on key players by speaking to Kinect. Xbox One will even let fantasy sports fans update their teams and interact with their leagues through Snap mode.
Xbox One specs include Blu-ray drive, 500 GB hard drive [Update]
The Xbox One will include a Blu-ray drive as well as a 500 GB hard drive, Microsoft's Mark Whitten revealed at today's next-gen Xbox reveal event. The system will feature 8 GB of system memory, USB 3.0 ports, an 8-core CPU, 64-bit architecture, built-in Wi-Fi and HDMI in/out ports. Whitten also noted that the Xbox One's architecture uses three operating systems. Microsoft also revealed details on the next-gen Kinect sensor and the Xbox One's controller at the event. Update: We've compared the Xbox One and PlayStation 4's specs.
Xbox One revealed [Update: Launches later this year]
Microsoft's new Xbox has been officially unveiled at the company's Redmond campus in a big, giant tent in the middle of the complex (so much for the console sharing its birth story with friends as a teenager). For a sense of symmetry with our PlayStation 4 reveal post, the announcement of the new Xbox console comes seven years and six months (2,737 days) after the launch of the Xbox 360, marking one of the longest distances of wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff between one console and its next regeneration. The distance in time between this console and the last certainly makes up for the original Xbox's lifespan, which was one of the shortest, at a mere four years and one day. Update: The Xbox One will launch "later this year," Microsoft President of Interactive Entertainment Business Don Mattrick said near the end of today's conference.
Microsoft unveils its next game console, the Xbox One
Microsoft debuted the Xbox One this afternoon live from a tent on its Redmond, Wash., campus, putting to end months of speculation about the company's next-generation video game console. The console will be available "later this year." Microsoft exec Don Mattrick called it out as an "all-in-one" box. The core strategy is "simple, instant and complete." It was debuted alongside a new gamepad as well as a new Kinect motion camera. The system itself is all black and features a two-tone finish with both matte and gloss in equal measure; a slot-loading Blu-ray optical drive sits out front on the left face, while a power button with the traditional Xbox logo is emblazoned on the right side (which looks to be touch-based). A new Kinect was also unveiled, and it powers the console -- "Xbox On" is being trumpeted as the most important feature. There's instant switching from the Xbox One dashboard to live television (which seems to confirm that HDMI-in rumor), and a live demo showed off impressive speeds. "Switching between live tv and all your games and entertainment is now as simple as using a remote," Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi said. He also demonstrated gesture controls for the console's UI, quickly snapping back to the dashboard with a pinch command.%Gallery-188989% %Gallery-189043%
