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There’s a tiny Master Chief etched inside the Xbox One X
The Xbox One X, Microsoft's mid-generation answer to the PlayStation 4 Pro, is launching next month. The $500 system is a more powerful version of the Xbox One that will "enhance" games up to 4K and 60 frames per second. Other than its beefier specs, we haven't learned much about the new console, but YouTuber unocero got one early and popped it open and found a couple surprises -- namely, a depiction of Halo's Master Chief riding a scorpion that's etched into the system's circuit board.
'Red Dead Redemption 2' trailer introduces a new anti-hero
While the original Red Dead Redemption was about a wistful cowboy trying to make things right, its sequel sounds a bit different. In Red Dead Redemption 2, you're playing as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw, who along with his Van Der Linde gang, seems out to rob pretty much anyone who crosses his path. The biggest takeaways from the trailer (embedded below) are just how good Morgan's face looks and the vastness of the wilderness. And, really, that's about it for the 90 second clip. Spring 2018 isn't that far away though, and hopefully the next trailer will either dive further into Morgan's backstory or show off actual gameplay.
Microsoft opens pre-orders for standard Xbox One X
Microsoft's Xbox One X is now available to pre-order. The console, touted as the most powerful ever (that claim excludes PCs, of course), will be out on November 7th worldwide. The company opened pre-orders for a special 'Project Scorpio' edition last month, but those ran out fast. In fact, Microsoft says it was "the fastest-selling Xbox pre-order ever." The regular version is basically the same, save for a tiny green Scorpio logo on the 1TB console and controller. It costs $499.99/£449.99 and is available now through the Microsoft Store, Microsoft.com and a host of local retailers.
Xbox One’s ‘Intelligent Delivery’ system will free up hard drive space
Microsoft has been working on a new feature for Xbox One and Xbox One X that stands to save users a ton of storage space, Eurogamer reports. Called Intelligent Delivery, the system allows for game data to be sorted into chunks allowing players to delete bits they don't need and free up space on their hard drives.
'L.A. Noire' is coming to HTC Vive and modern consoles
Red Dead Redemption 2's release might've gotten pushed into next spring, but Rockstar Games has something else to fill that gap: an unexpected HD (and UHD) remaster of its 2011 detective simulator L.A. Noire. This goes beyond the expected gussied up graphics for modern consoles though, as it's also getting a pack of missions cases designed specifically for virtual reality.
Microsoft boasts about Xbox One X sales without giving numbers
Microsoft has been counting the days until the release of its powered-up mid-generation console, the Xbox One X, on November 7th. The company even announced a stylized but otherwise identical Scorpio edition to commemorate the launch. Apparently, that's gotten players hyped up enough to preorder the console in record but entirely unspecified numbers, Microsoft boasted in a blog post:
Microsoft's Xbox One X is still a tough sell
We get it, Microsoft. The Xbox One X is a beast! It'll run games in native 4K! (Not like that sometimes-4K from the PlayStation 4 Pro.) It's basically everything we've ever wanted, spec-wise, from a video game console. And yet, many aspects of the Xbox One X still fall flat, even though we're just a few months away from its November 7th release. That was more clear than ever at Gamescom this week, where Microsoft kicked things off with an overly long presentation that didn't give us many reasons to actually get excited for the One X.
Turtle Beach starts selling its wireless Xbox headset
The biggest pain when it comes to wireless Xbox One headsets is that they all require some sort of adapter or base station to connect to your console. Add to that the hefty price tag (most models can cost upwards of $150) and the appeal wears thin. That's why the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 caught our eye earlier this year. The headset is the first to utilize Microsoft's wireless tech to connect directly to its console (dongles and wires begone). What's more, you can also hook it up to the upcoming Xbox One X. And, all for just $99.95. The headset drops today, in limited quantities, in the US via the Turtle Beach website. Retailers will get the model on September 4.
Here are all the games enhanced for Xbox One X
Microsoft has dribbled out details of Xbox One X visual upgrades over the past couple of months, but now it's laying all its cards on the table. The company's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has posted a list of all the games currently slated to get some kind of Xbox One X enhancement. Some of them you'll already know about or would expect, such as many recent Microsoft-published games (including Quantum Break), Assassin's Creed Origins and Wolfenstein II. However, there are plenty of older and indie titles also in line, such as Astroneer, Firewatch, Hitman and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Pre-order Xbox One X in a limited Project Scorpio Edition
The rumors were true. Microsoft is marking the launch of the Xbox One X by starting pre-orders for a limited Project Scorpio Edition for the console. It'll cost the same $499/£450 as the standard model, but this is more than a rehash of the Day One system that commemorated the Xbox One launch in 2013. On top of Project Scorpio lettering on the console and controller, the machine gets a "sophisticated and dynamic" pattern and an exclusive vertical stand to flaunt your early adopter status. Even the packaging has a twist -- it harkens back to the 2001-era Xbox.
Watch Microsoft's Gamescom event at 3PM Eastern
Germany's Gamescom expo may not capture as many eyeballs as E3 does, but it's still crucial to the gaming industry. The event offers a better look at the titles and hardware that you first saw at E3, not to mention plenty of its own surprises. It's a particularly big year for Microsoft with the Xbox One X on the horizon... and it wants you to see what the fuss is about. The company is streaming its Gamescom presentation live at 3PM Eastern with promises of games to show and, naturally, news to share. As for what's on deck? Microsoft hasn't shown all its cards yet, but there are a few clues as to what could be in store.
Microsoft could release an Xbox One X ‘Project Scorpio’ edition
Microsoft used "Project Scorpio" as the code name for the Xbox One X, its powerful new gaming console set to release on November 7th. According to a couple of leaks on German website Xbox Dynasty, the company will celebrate the launch with a new day one-style model in which the codename will show up on the console itself. The images show a clear "Project Scorpio" embedded vertically on the Xbox controller, along with a stippled pattern for the rectangular console itself. The specs also show a 1TB capacity, which should make space-hungry gamers happy.
Spotify may finally make the leap to Xbox One this fall (updated)
Sony and Spotify have been pretty cozy for the past few years on PlayStation, but it looks like the streaming service is going to show Xbox fans some love soon too. Reddit's unblinking eyes spotted Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb using the app on Xbox Live. The Verge independently confirmed with its off the record sources that an app for the Swedish music service was being tested internally, with a wide roll-out planned before the Xbox One X's launch November 7th. Now to speculate whether Microsoft will abandon Groove Music for Spotify the way that Sony did its Music Unlimited service.
'Wolfenstein II' DLC adds three new Nazi-punching characters
You'll be playing as more than just the broken-schmeckled B.J. Blazkowicz in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. That's because the game's three expansions will feature a different protagonist fighting for America by punching and murdering the Nazis standing in their way.
'Wolfenstein 2' and 'Evil Within 2' will support 4K on Xbox One X
You'd be forgiven for thinking that most of the games getting 4K support on Xbox One X will come from either Microsoft itself or Ubisoft, but there will definitely be some high-profile releases in the mix beyond what's been mentioned so far. The official Xbox website has let slip that Bethesda's Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and The Evil Within 2 are both slated to run in 4K with high dynamic range visuals. It's not certain that this is picture-perfect 4K, since some One X titles use upscaling and other tricks to reach the higher resolution, but you should still notice a difference over 1080p.
'Halo 5' will run in 'true 4K' on Xbox One X
Halo 5 is getting the "true 4K" treatment with the Xbox One X. During Halo 5's pre-release hype cycle, Microsoft said that it was so focused on hitting 60 frames per-second with the game that there weren't any sacred cows -- including split-screen co-op, a series staple. Maybe don't expect that to return with the Xbox One X's more powerful innards, though.
Sony is losing its grip on the indie market
Here we go again. In 2011, Microsoft was the indie king. The industry was just blossoming thanks to services like Steam and Xbox Live Arcade, which introduced independent games to huge, hungry audiences. Indie Game: The Movie was about to debut, giving fans a deep behind-the-scenes look at the perils and triumphs of small-scale development. The Xbox 360 served as the foundational platform for the film's major projects Super Meat Boy, Fez and Braid. And then, the pendulum swung -- in 2012, Journey landed exclusively on the PS3. It served as a lightning rod for discussions about emotion and art in video games, and it gave Sony the momentum to transform its indie ecosystem. By July 2013, Sony had opened up its processes, allowing indie developers to self-publish their games on the company's next console, the PlayStation 4. Even Microsoft still required indies to partner with established publishers, at this point. Microsoft attempted to regain its indie dominance with the ID@Xbox program, though that turned out to be more complicated than most developers would have liked. The launch of the Xbox One was a low-key disaster while Sony continually dropped the mic, showcasing indie games at E3 to widespread acclaim while Microsoft played catch-up. As recently as E3 2015, Sony's head hung heavy with indie jewels.
Microsoft expects consumers to 'figure out' which Xbox is which
The best way to keep a job as a marketer is to never go off message. And that's precisely what happened when I interviewed Xbox's head of console marketing Albert Penello on our E3 stage this week. Though he was more than happy to talk about the Xbox One X's tech specs and the impact of 4K gaming, asking harder questions about Xbox as an organization yielded a lot of non-answers. Still, there were a few tells.
'Forza Motorsport 7' has more than just 4K to offer Xbox racers
When Microsoft announced Forza Motorsport 7, it was easy to focus on its eye-popping 4K resolution while maintaining 60fps, but the most important question is always, "How does it drive?" After some time playing with a gamepad, I can report that the realistic driving model Turn 10 has refined throughout the series' run is here and better than ever. Later, during a closed-door demonstration, I heard a bit about and saw some features that will be in the game when it ships this fall, like dynamic clouds that cast moving shadows on the track.
'Minecraft' looks like a completely different game in 4K
The best demonstration of the Xbox One X's 4K capabilities comes from an unlikely, blocky source: Minecraft. Behind closed doors at E3 2017, Microsoft showed off a handful of games it upgraded to 4K just for the Xbox One X, including Gears of War 4, but Mojang's cube-based crafting game clearly got the most drastic upgrade. When the free 4K update and the Super Duper Graphics Pack lands in the fall, those blobs of grass will transform into blades. See for yourself:
