But there is one huge, glaring, worrisome issue that might prove to be the biggest flaw in the system and the reason customers like me might be turned away: its handling of used games.

Admittedly, we don’t know a whole lot about how the Xbox One will handle used games, so it’s possible that you’re reading this in the future and about to tell me how wrong I am. Sorry about that.

But at this point, this is what we know: the Xbox One requires that game discs be downloaded to the console, to ensure better functionality when gamers want to quickly start playing. What we also know at this point is that there is going to be some sort of unlock fee that allows a used game to be played on a console.

And that is where I, and many other gamers, start to get awfully upset.

Based on what Microsoft has said so far – and this by no means the last we’ve heard of the policy – a person who buys a game disc new will install it on their console to play it. From there, they can bring it to a friend’s house to play it on his or her device. On that console, in order to play the game, the friend would need to buy the right to play the game. And in a recent interview with Kotaku, Xbox’s Phil Harrison said they’ll be paying full price.

Annoyed yet? Good. But Microsoft has come out and said it has a solution: if you login to your own Xbox credentials on your friend’s console, you can play the game without your friend having to pay full price to buy the new title.

What that doesn’t address, however, is the current used games market, which relies on people selling physical discs to companies like GameStop to recoup some of their investment. By the sound of things, Microsoft is all but trying to kill the way used games are currently handled.

If that’s the case, the Xbox One might be in trouble. The fact is, the used games market is a huge opportunity for today’s consumers, and having to pay full price on titles instead of a used fee just isn’t practical for some people. If the Xbox One makes it difficult to buy cheaper games and recoup some cash in titles, it could have trouble getting off the ground.

Of course, Microsoft might just have a solution: it’s hinting that there will be a way to sell the rights to a game you bought through the console. Could that be enough to save the Xbox One and make it a more feasible purchase? Will it annoy customers? Will Microsoft take down the used game market?

I have more questions than answers at this point, but I’m at least a little concerned about what the future holds.

Developers Clive Moody and Iain Smith were gracious enough to answer fan questions over on Jalopnik, and several questions revolved around the possibility of performance upgrades and modifications on cars. Both devs said that custom liveries would be making a reappearance in the game, as well as performance upgrades for the first time, but they’ll only be available in online multiplayer it seems.

Smith says that Codemasters is “bringing in an upgrade system to improve your performance and modify things like ride height and wheel size.” Furthermore, “the genuine mechanical upgrades will affect performance as you’d expect and help you take on the competition.” Smith nor Moody offered anymore details on car upgrades, but from the details that they did provide, it seems like you won’t be able to modify anything drastic like the engine or change out body kits.

However, it’ll at least be more than what was offered in the original GRID installment, where the only customization you could make to your car was slap a livery on it and change around the decals. That was fun, of course, but we ultimately missed the ability the fine tune various aspects of the car, as well upgrade the performance.

GRID 2 hits stores on May 28, which is closely approaching, and it’ll be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. We’ve talked about some of the new features before, including LiveRoutes, which is something that randomly changes the course of the race track to make sure drivers stay on their toes. We also talked about different aspects of multiplayer, including achievements, challenges, and improved leaderboards.

SOURCE: Jalopnik

EA Labels president Frank Gibeau said in a company blog post that their E3 press conference will include “a first look at [their] plans for the Star Wars partnership with Disney.” EA previously revealed that DICE and Visceral Games will produce new Star Wars titles in the future, as they join BioWare, who is continuing to develop games for the franchise.

As for what to expect in upcoming Star Wars games, Gibeau previously mentioned that the new games will be “entirely original with all new stories and gameplay,” with some elements being borrowed from past films. That’s all the details that we know of so far, but we should hear a healthy amount at E3 during the company’s presser on June 10.

EA will also be showing off some other next-generation titles, such as Battlefield 4, a new Need for Speed, as well as FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, Madden NFL 25, and EA Sports UFC, which we heard about yesterday during the Xbox One unveiling event. Those sports games in particular will be running on EA’s new Ignite engine on the Xbox One. However, PC versions of these games will not be built on the new engine.

With EA’s recently-poor track record, as well as their “worst company in America” award for the second straight year, we’re wondering how these Star Wars games will turn out. Not every game based on the movie franchise has turned out great, but it’ll be interesting to see what the DRM situation will end up being. It’s possible that EA can turn things around by the time they release a new Star Wars title, but we’ll ultimately have to wait and see.

VIA: Polygon

SOURCE: Electronic Arts

The company announced thus far that the device will be released “later this year”. If this release is meant to coincide with several games that have been announced for the system already, this timeframe suggests the holiday season – and if it’s prepared to be released at the same time as major titles like Call of Duty: Ghosts, it’ll be out in November.

As Ghosts is set to be released on the 5th of November, and that timeframe is essentially perfect for a holiday gift-giving release, gamers can pretty much bank on the idea that they’ll be waiting at least a few more months before the final device is on the market. The fact that the console and peripherals shown yesterday were still being called “prototypes” by Microsoft handlers on-site also lends to the idea that the Xbox One wont be coming extremely soon.

Microsoft has made it clear that the showing yesterday – a mere one hour long – was only the first installment of at least 2 showings the device and the games that’ll work with it will be getting. The second showing will be at the gaming convention E3 2013.

At E3, not just Microsoft, but gaming developers galore will be showing their wares to the public. This convention traditionally plays host to the largest announcements of the year – but here in 2013, hardware and software companies have begun to get wise about their individual event power in the press. Microsoft and Sony (with their PlayStation 4) have decidedly split things up to have as much potential staying power as possible.

Gamescom will also be taking place starting on the 21st of August until the 25th – this is a less likely place for Microsoft and Sony to show off any major announcements, but sits in second place nontheless. E3 will take place June 11th through the 13th, and you can count SlashGear in for the whole lot – stay tuned!

Microsoft‘s Phil Harrison says that “anybody who has usage privilege on that machine can use it,” indicating that a Family Pack-style option could be making a comeback for the Xbox One. Microsoft discontinued the Xbox Live Gold Family Pack earlier this year, which came with multiple memberships at a slightly-discounted price.

For the Xbox One, it seems that a similar model will become available, although it’s not exactly confirmed how the new model will work, but we do know that you won’t need multiple memberships — one for each person. Microsoft’s Ben Kilgore says that Microsoft will still allow users to access their own friends list and such, saying that the company wants “you log in to get your stuff, and when he logs in to get his stuff. On that console, if you have Gold, he can use Gold as well.”

As for current Xbox Live Gold memberships, those will be compatible with the Xbox One, so if you have an Xbox 360 now and end up getting an Xbox One, your current membership will transfer over, as well as still remain active on your Xbox 360, allowing you to go back and forth between the two consoles.

Again, we’re not sure exactly how this model will work, but so far it sounds a lot better than the current Xbox Live membership model on the Xbox 360. We’re also not sure if Microsoft will change up the pricing structure for memberships, or if they’ll introduce a new tier system, but we should be hearing more about that later this year.

SOURCE: Polygon

From this, we can probably expect to see less indie games on the Xbox One, as Microsoft will be requiring indie game developers to get a publisher for their game before it can be played on the Xbox One. Getting a publisher doesn’t seem too outright, but it requires indie devs to find someone who is willing to take a risk on an indie game. Plus, the publisher also gets a cut of the profits, meaning less money goes to the indie developers.

Xbox Live Arcade is a separate corner all by itself that features smaller, lesser-known games compared to the $60 AAA games that we all know and love. You can usually find some great deals in this section, with a few good games only costing as little as $5, but they still require a publisher for them to be accepted. Xbox Live Indie Games, on the other hand, doesn’t require a publisher, but that section has seen less and less activity.

Indie games have thrived on mobile platforms, as well as on the PC through Steam, meaning that indie developers aren’t really bothering all that much with console versions of their games. However, both Sony and Nintendo have begun to embrace the indie game market, and because of that, many people might be wondering why Microsoft is looking the other way. Then again, Microsoft says that they’re constantly looking at different business models that will provide more content for Xbox users, so it’s possible that the company may change its ways in the future.

Will this change gamers’ minds about the Xbox One, though? Possibly. For those who show massive support for the indie game market, this will certainly be a downer for them, but this probably won’t affect initial sales of the new console, as indie game fans are only a small percentage of all the Xbox users around the world.

VIA: Kotaku

SOURCE: Shacknews

The teaser site has a countdown, which ends on June 10. At that time, Crytek will reveal more about the game during a press conference at E3. Ryse was initially announced two years ago at E3 2011, and gamers have since been wondering what happened to the game and if it had been quietly canceled, since we haven’t heard from Crytek about it in a while. However, that’s no longer the case.

Ryse takes place in ancient Rome and the player plays a Roman solider who is controlled using the Kinect rather than the gamepad. Players use gesture-based attacks in order to defeat opponents. You can swing a sword, block attacks, and even kick. We’re not sure the game will be controlled entirely with the Kinect, or if you’ll need the controller for some parts, but the website says it will be “controller-based gameplay enhanced by Kinect.” Either way, you’ll definitely be on your feet for most of the game.

We’re not sure why Ryse never made it to the Xbox 360, but it could be because the Kinect sensor lacked the technology that Crytek wanted to use in order to make different gesture-based attacks realistic. With the improved Kinect sensor on the Xbox One, it seems Crytek is ready to bring the game to prime time.

The release date for the game hasn’t been disclosed, but we’re guessing we’ll see it hit store shelves in time for the holiday season, possibly even launching alongside the Xbox One. The game will be one of the many titles that Microsoft plans to publish to the Xbox One, as confirmed yesterday by the company during the console’s reveal event.

VIA: Eurogamer

SOURCE: Crytek

There’s a new 1080p camera for video calls, and a new IR camera which can see in the dark; they can be used together to track skeletal and muscular movements, as well as whether the gamer is off-balance. Skin color and transparency can be used to measure heart rate, a feature which Microsoft says it expects to see integrated into exercise and fitness games.

Meanwhile, a new multi-microphone array is apparently even better at locking onto the user’s voice and ignoring background noise. That’s essential for the new speech control systems the Xbox One offers, as well as for use in Skype video calls.

However, the new attentiveness has also worried privacy advocates, who are concerned that Microsoft’s freshly-alert Kinect could be too intrusive in the living room. The camera won’t be removable altogether, Xbox group program manager Jeff Henshaw reiterate CNET, but there will be other ways to ensure the One isn’t listening in.

“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” Henshaw clarified. “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.”

Henshaw pointed to Microsoft’s existing privacy policy around Kinect, though that’s likely to be updated closer to the One’s launch to take into account the new features of the updated sensor. As it stands, though, the exact nature of the “completely secure” modes is unclear.

Still, what is clear is that Microsoft would prefer for Xbox One owners to keep their consoles active, given the Kinect is vital for waking it from standby with spoken commands, and then using voice to switch between gameplay and TV, as well as search for channels and shows. We’ve more on the Kinect – and Xbox One as a whole – in our full wrap-up of yesterday’s launch event.

Calling the device a gaming headset isn’t entirely accurate, because it offers nothing that makes it game-specific. Rather, those behind the Foc.us device are marketing it at gamers, saying it will “overclock” players’ brains, causing synapses to fire faster and increasing brain plasticity, among other things. By doing so, Foc.us says users will “get the edge in online gaming.”

The way the device works is straight-forward, and the technology involved has been the subject of study for many years. The headset contains a battery and four electrodes, which can be placed in various locations by the user. By placing the electrodes in vertical pairs a tad over the eyebrows, the headset is said to stimulate the prefrontal cortex with painless electrical currents.

The device offers both cathodal and anodal prefrontal cortex stimulation, and by default offers gamers a 1mA current for 5 minutes. That time can be adjusted up to a 40 minute session, however, in various time increments, with the current range going from 0.8mA to 2.0mA. Foc.us says it offers a “crescendo start” so that it is comfortable for gamers.

The headset is controlled via an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad, with an app available for download from the App Store. The device uses Bluetooth 4.0 when working in conjunction with an Apple device. Unfortunately, there’s bad news for Android users – your devices won’t work, the reason given being the lack of “necessary Bluetooth low energy apis.” You’re not totally left out, though, because the Foc.us headset has an on-device touch sensor for certain manual controls. You won’t be able to do some things without a mobile, however, like increasing the session duration.

SOURCE: Foc.us

While you’ll notice that the Kinect for this Xbox One machine isn’t physically attached to the console – though that might change – it will need to be synced up. These two devices will need to be chatting with one another at all times in order for either to function, this per a confirmation given to IGN, there’s no getting away from Kinect.

“Kinect does require to be connected to Xbox One in all cases, yes. We use the living room almost as a moniker – that’s where we assume the best screen is in the house. But if you like to play in any other room in the house, the Xbox One will deliver the same quality of experience whatever the environment.” – Xbox UK marketing director Harvey Eagle

According to Microsoft’s own Xbox Wire, the Kinect accessory is no longer just that. It’s part of the Xbox One – it’ll come in every Xbox One box and it’ll be assumed that you’ll be using it. Game developers will be encouraged to use Kinect on the regular.

“The all new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform.  By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you.” – Microsoft

While this will be one point on the plus side for those gamers wishing to stay with their Xbox 360 – or pick up a new one now that the Xbox One will likely drive down prices of past generations – it’s also likely that much game functionality will be based on this system for future gamers in the Xbox Live universe as well. The Xbox One vs Xbox 360 battle may very well be a war you’re going to want to follow from here on in.

In the FAQ for the Xbox One, it states that the console is designed in a way “so you can play games and watch Blu-ray movies and live TV if you lose your connection.” However, many of the Xbox One’s new features will require an internet connection, including cloud abilities and such, so while you can technically play games without an internet connection, the gaming experience probably won’t be as exciting or feature-packed.

As for used games, the FAQ states that the Xbox One is designed “to enable customers to trade in and resell games.” Of course, these are pretty vague statements, and we wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few details that we’re not aware of yet that Microsoft isn’t telling us, but it at least provides us with a little assurance.

However, it’s said that Xbox 360 games won’t be able to work on the Xbox One due to a different architecture used in the new console (x86 compared to PowerPC). Luckily, though, your Xbox Live profile will transfer over, meaning that you won’t lose all of those achievements you earned playing Xbox 360 games.

Microsoft told Engadget that the company cares “very much about the investment people have made in Xbox 360 and will continue to support it with a pipeline of new games and new apps well into the future.” In fact, Microsoft will have some news for Xbox 360 gamers at E3 next month, so stay tuned for that if you plan on sticking with the eight-year-old console.

Update: On one of Microsoft’s Twitter support accounts, a Microsoft employee said that used games would not require a fee. That was changed a short while later, with users being directed to a post on Major Nelson instead.

VIA: Engadget

Design

The original Xbox 360 design measured in at 310 x 80 x 268 mm, with a slightly concave form-factor; Microsoft offered it in white or black. In mid-2010, the Xbox 360 S shrunk things down, introducing some sharper angles along the way, and offered in matte or gloss black. The most noticeable illumination is the the “ring of light” on the front, with four lit quadrants that show processing or error status.

Above: Xbox 360 in Black and White. Below: Xbox One.

The new Xbox One is an altogether more blocky affair, resembling a traditional Blu-ray player or A/V receiver more than anything else. Microsoft describes it as finished in “deep and rich liquid black” with a beveled edge to add a little eye-candy, but it’s also quite sober. How well it will fit in a world of flat-screen TVs remains to be seen – though they could perhaps stand on top of it – but there’s the possibility to replace at least your Blu-ray player in the A/V rack.

Processor and Graphics

In the Xbox 360, Microsoft used a specially developed PowerPC tri-core Xenon processor running at 3.2GHz, while the graphics were courtesy of an ATI Xenos GPU running at 500MHz and paired with 512MB of 700MHz GDDR3 memory.

The Xbox One kicks things up another level altogether. Microsoft is yet to fully detail the processor, calling it only an 8-core chip based on x86 architecture, and with “more than 5bn transistors”; the graphics, meanwhile, haven’t even been described beyond something custom from AMD with DirectX 11.1 support

However, there’s 8GB of system memory, and Microsoft will use virtualization technology to effectively run three platforms simultaneously. The underlying core is the Windows Kernel, as per Windows 8, while the Xbox OS runs virtually within that; the third platform basically acts as a bridge between the two. That means Microsoft can keep the Xbox OS part stable over the lifespan of the console, giving game developers a consistent platform to code for, while the Windows kernel – where apps like Skype and others will run – can be updated progressively.

Optical Drive

Aside from a short-lived experiment with an external HD-DVD drive, the Xbox 360 has stuck with DVD. That means support for games and movies; games come on dual-layer DVD with up to 7.8GB of space. There’s also regional locking, which is optional for game developers

The Xbox One keeps an optical drive, but here kicks it up to a Blu-ray drive. That’ll be used to install games to the console, too, along with play movies. Unfortunately, what it won’t do is backward-compatibility, so you wont’ be able to load up your old Xbox 360 titles on the new Xbox One.

Storage

In its most recent form, the Xbox 360 offers up to 320GB of hard-drive space, though most used a 250GB drive. The Arcade version has 4GB of integrated flash storage on the motherboard.

The Xbox One goes straight to half a terabyte, with a 500GB internal drive. That space will be vital, however, since games will be installed directly to the onboard storage rather than run from Blu-ray. It’ll mean faster loading, but we’re still not sure how big all the high-res graphics Microsoft and its developer partners are so excited about will be.

Connectivity

When first launched, the Xbox 360 had three USB 2.0 ports; that was increased to five on the Xbox 360 S, as well as a dedicated Kinect port. The refreshed model also has integrated WiFi b/g/n along with a 10/100 ethernet port. HDMI has been included since mid-2007.

For the Xbox One, there are now USB 3.0 ports, with at least five spread around the console. Microsoft has also included wired gigabit ethernet and a digital optical audio output. In addition to an HDMI output, for hooking up your TV or a projector, there’s also an HDMI input, for plugging in your cable TV box or other source.

Unfortunately, despite the focus on TV and multimedia, there are no internal tuners and no CableCard slots. Any source you want to use with the Xbox One must be external, just as Google did with the original Google TV boxes.

Inside, there’s WiFi and WiFI Direct, the latter – in a tweaked way – being used to hook up to the controllers.

Controllers

Microsoft redesigned the Xbox controller for the 360, and it has stuck around since with only a minor refresh in mid-2010. Available in wired and wireless versions, it has two analog sticks and two analog triggers, along with eleven digital buttons and a D-pad. There’s also a USB port – custom-shaped, for the chatpad keyboard – and 2.5mm headphone connection.

Above: Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. Below: Xbox One Wireless Controller.

The new controllers look similar, though with smoothed off edges and a more rounded look. The controls are similar in layout – helping keep things familiar for Xbox 360 upgraders – but there’s now new impulse triggers and an updated “precision” directional pad. The battery is now integrated too, and of course they use WiFi Direct to hook up, rather than a proprietary 2.4GHz link as on the old console.

Kinect

Microsoft introduced the Kinect motion-sensor bar in 2010, an add-on to the 360 to compete with the Wiimote and PlayStation Move. The bar uses a combination of camera and infrared sensors to identify gamers and track their movements; it can simultaneously track up to six people, though only two active players at a time. Twenty joints per active player can be individually monitored, and there’s also voice recognition support.

Above: Xbox 360 Kinect. Below: Xbox One Kinect.

The new Kinect has been significantly redesigned, matching the blunt-sided look of the Xbox One, and getting far more impressive internal abilities. It now has a 250k pixel infrared depth sensor and a webcam, with a wider angle lens. As well as tracking body movement, it can monitor both skeletal and muscle movements. In fact, it’s so sensitive it can even measure the gamer’s pulse, monitoring the pigmentation changes in their face. The microphones are used for the Xbox One’s advanced speech recognition system, which is used to wake the console as well as search for content, switch between TV and gaming, and more.

This battle isn’t over

Just because there’s the Xbox One on the scene, however, that doesn’t mean the Xbox 360 is going anywhere quite yet. “In just a few weeks at E3 we’ll be sharing what’s next for Xbox 360″ Microsoft’s Don Mattrick said at the opening of the event today. We’ll also be seeing a collection of new games and additional functionality from the Xbox One at E3 as well as Gamescom later this year – stay tuned!

Hardware

First off, the console and controller come with a new black look that’s the complete opposite of the matte white appearance that the Xbox 360 had when it was first released eight years ago. The controller is reminiscent of the Xbox 360 variant, but it obviously includes a handful of changes, including a new D-pad (woot!), vibration motors in the trigger buttons, as well as a slightly redesigned body that makes the battery pack more flush with the rest of the controller.

As for what’s inside the Xbox One, there’s an 8-core processor with 8GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive built in. The Xbox One will also come with a Blu-ray drive for the first time, officially ditching the HD-DVD format and officially getting with the times. There’s also both HDMI input and output, as well as USB 3.0. As for the Kinect sensor, it has a 1080p camera sensor and can shoot 60 frames per second. It’s so finely tuned that it can read your heartbeat while watching you exercise, as well as notice how balanced you are. The new Kinect’s field of view is also expanded by 60% to allow it to capture more objects in the frame.

Software

Microsoft also revealed Xbox On (not to be confused with the name of the console itself). Xbox On is a feature that uses the new Kinect sensor and voice and hand recognition to allow users to perform a number of commands without the controller. You can even turn on the console with your voice, as well as switch through apps (including watching live TV and movies), as well as jump into games with the power of your voice. Hand gestures also allow you to navigate the user interface using Minority Report-like gestures. You can also use Windows 8′s snap mode, where you have two apps run split-screen side-by-side, such as chatting with someone on Skype while you continue to play a game.

The home screen is a lot like that of the Xbox 360, with a few minor tweaks. We still get the tile layout that Microsoft is known for at this point across their different platforms, and the home screen shows us games, movies, apps, and TV stations that you’ve watched/played recently, and it also shows content that you frequent.

The Xbox One essentially runs three operating systems in a way. The first one is the raw Xbox OS that developers can use, and the second OS is based on the Windows kernel. The third OS is a piece of software that allows the first two OSes to communicate with each other. The raw Xbox OS will be used for games, while the Windows kernel portion will be used for apps and such.

The Xbox One will also be cloud-powered, meaning that games, movies, music, etc. You’ll even get DVR capabilities in games, so you can record gameplay while you’re playing, and play it back any time you want, with the ability to edit footage as well through the cloud. Not a lot of details on cloud capabilities have been announced, but we should be hearing more on that in the near future.

Games & Apps

Of course, it wouldn’t be the Xbox One without games. Several developers and publishers made an appearance at the Xbox One event to show off the next-generation in gaming. EA Sports showed of FIFA 14, as well as new additions to Madden, NBA Live, and UFC. There’s also going to be a new Forza installment, and a new concept that combines TV and gaming into one, called Quantum Break. Steve Spielberg also made an appearance and announced an interactive live-action Halo television series, which should be fairly interesting. Activision was also there to show off Call of Duty: Ghosts, which was just recently announced.

Microsoft partnered with the NFL to bring a more interactive and immersive football experience to the Xbox One. Users will be able to live-stream games, as well as manage their fantasy football teams through the console, with the ability to chat with friends at the same time through Skype. Details are extremely scarce at this point, but essentially, it seems like you just need to take what you know about interactive sports on gaming consoles and throw it all out the window.

Market Release

So, when should you expect the Xbox One to land in stores? Microsoft says at some point “later this year,” but we’re guessing some time in the fall before the holiday shopping season begins. That’s around the same time that we should expect Sony’s PS4 to release, so it’ll be interesting to see which console hits stores first and when. In the meantime, Microsoft will reveal more about the Xbox One at E3 2013 next month, as well as at Gamescom in August.

This game will be bringing with it a storyline that’s 10 years into the future – a future where the world has had a catastrophic event that’s destroyed much of our modern society. Once again you’ll be taking part in a spy warfare situation, working with many environments – from exploding structures to underwater caves to the sides of skyscrapers.

Above you’ll see the first teaser trailer for this game with graphics as they’ll be appearing on the Xbox One. There you’ll see mostly cinematics, but you’ll get a taste of what it’ll be like to play as well. Here the developers behind the game have built on a next-generation gaming engine that allows for environments that are thick and diverse. New animations are being introduced as well: sliding, lean out, lean in, and interactive smoke included.

Users will be able to customize characters in a new collection of ways for multiplayer action. This game will be able to be played both online and offline, with dynamic maps appearing for users to modify in-game while the game is in-play online. Changing the map with actions like exploding bombs is an ability reserved for only the next generation for games like Hawken.

Below you’ll be seeing the folks at Infinity Ward showing off how they made this “emotional reality” of a game exist for the Xbox One.

The team you’re part of is made of the remnants of the USA military. You’ll be working with a dog – and Infinity Ward’s Executive Producer Mark Rubin notes: “we’ve had dogs in Call of Duty before, but never like this. This is someone you care about – this is a squad member.”

This dog is also going to be part of the game with direct control. As Rubin mentioned speaking with Joystiq as they met with him earlier this year, speaking about this game specifically, they found some rather interesting things when researching real tactical dogs.

“The dog you saw in the picture has all that armor on and stuff, it’s not fake. The dog actually is wearing an earpiece, and he’s got a camera on his back that flips up, so the seal actually has a screen and he can see what the dog sees through that camera. So if the dog is moving through tall grass or in a room or a dark area somewhere, he can see it on his screen.

He can actually give voice commands to the dog through the earpiece – go left, go right. And if they need to be silent – this is crazy – the dog’s got little vibrating things on his neck, so you can vibrate right or vibrate left and the dog knows, if I feel right, I go to the right, if I vibrate left I go to the left. So he can drive the dog, in a sense, from his little device on his arm.” – Mark Rubin, Infinity Ward CEO

This game will be released at a time when – we must assume – the Xbox One is already available. As the game has been pegged for release on 11.5.2013, we can assume that Microsoft’s assertion that the Xbox One will be released “later this year” will mean right around the holidays. Have a peek at our Xbox One tag portal for more information on this next-generation console and stay tuned for more information on the Call of Duty series – and more Ghosts!

According to Spielberg, this television series is an opportunity to bring on a new era in entertainment. For “Halo The Television Series”, an “intersection where technology and myth-making meet” is made, and something “truly groundbreaking” will be unleashed. While the Halo game series certainly hasn’t been anything to scoff at over the past few years of it being one of gaming’s most popular, the inclusion of Spielberg in a television series surrounding it brings this announcement to a different environment entirely.

NOTE: The above photo comes straight from Bonnie Ross herself, taken of of both her and Steven Spielberg for this announcement specifically.

The Halo game franchise will certainly be coming to the Xbox One as well, but for now, it’s only a television series. Saying that it’s “only” a television series may prove to be folly as well – with what we’ve seen from the Xbox One for voice recognition, voice commands, and future Kinect interaction, we may yet see some game-changing content, as Microsoft says.

This release is intended for the Xbox One and may very well be amongst the devices “exclusive downloadable content.” The true extent of this content set is not yet known – we’ll see soon enough! For now, be sure to check out more Xbox One content in our brand new Xbox One tag portal to see how, when, and why you might want to check this console out.

As for the fantasy football experience, neither the NFL or Microsoft detailed the new feature too much, but the fantasy football experience on the Xbox One will include features like keeping track of scoring and giving users on-screen updates based on your fantasy teams. Again, not a lot of details at all, so we might have to wait until E3 to find out more.

However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made an appearance in a video during the event, and essentially just repeated himself over and over again, saying that “fans will be able to experience football in a way they’ve never experienced before.” We’ll be taking his word for it, so hopefully the NFL has something special for Xbox One users.

Microsoft says that “this partnership will redefine NFL experiences for the fans through exclusive and interactive content that you’ll find only on Xbox,” so you can expect some pretty impressive features according to what both the NFL and Microsoft are describing. There will also be Microsoft technology “on the sidelines,” which we’re not sure what the means exactly, but it’s possible that Xbox One users will be able to get a close-up experience in an NFL game.

Of course, the biggest probability is that “later this year” means in time for the holiday shopping season. That would fit in with rumors we’ve heard before of a November release, certainly.

As for price, that’s also a detail Microsoft is yet to confirm. The current Xbox 360 has an MRSP of $199.99 for the Arcade model or $299.99 for the regular model, but the Xbox One is more likely to come in above that, given the nature of the specifications and the fact that the Kinect will be standard in the box.

Sony is similarly yet to confirm pricing or availability for the PlayStation 4, and it may well be that Microsoft is waiting until it gets more hints from its arch gaming rival to settle on a date.

Still, even if it’s more expensive than the old console, it could well replace a few of your other devices on the A/V rack. The Xbox One has a Blu-ray drive, for instance, as well as on-demand content.

Microsoft didn’t give out too many details about Quantum Break, but the concept is pretty intriguing. The game appears to include live action drama – including a pretty creepy little girl – and then jump into gameplay as the storyline demands it.

We’ve seen ambitious cut-scene video in games before, of course, with mixed results. Often enough, the acting can be cheesy and the plotlines nonsensical; gamers generally want to be able to skip past them as soon as possible.

Remedy Games’ challenge is to change that mindset, and it’s apparently hoping to do that by increasing the amount of drama altogether. We’ll have to wait and see whether the Xbox One can actually achieve that; fast-switching between TV and games is certainly one of the headline features being pushed.

Of course, given the Xbox One’s new Kinect can track more movement and details of the gamers than ever before, there’s also the possibility for those watching to actually jump into the plotline, in hardware at least. We’ll know more when Quantum Break launches on the Xbox One.

With the update to Xbox Live, users will be able to record games as they’re being played, play them back, and edit these videos in the cloud. Xbox Live will be updated to help with multiplayer game queuing. This is the start of Microsoft’s real move to the cloud for gaming.

In addition to this, the Xbox One will be working with Skype with the Kinect camera, live TV, and notifications over your live TV shows. Voice recognition and commands are in play, and interactive TV will be coming up soon as well.

The Xbox One will be working with a wireless controller, a separate Kinect device (as it was in previous editions), and a completely new user interface that’s quite similar to Windows 8. Have a peek at the timeline below for additional bits and pieces that’ve popped up earlier today.

All four will launch in the next 12 months, so some of them won’t necessarily be available at launch, but Madden should be one that we’ll se at least close to the console’s launch. EA says that all four gales “will be revolutionary,” and will “fundamentally change the way you play,” thanks to changes in both the graphics and gameplay dynamics.

One of the biggest changes is improvements to the spectators, which athletes have said are one of the biggest aspects during a game, so EA naturally wanted to put a lot of focus on making the spectators and audience a realistic part of the game. A new engine called EA Sports Ignite, will allow EA to add a lot of new features to these games.

EA says that the new engine will allow for 10 times more animation detail four times more calculations per second. EA really only gave us further details about FIFA 14, which will be an Xbox exclusive, and we’ll be hearing more about the game at some point “later this year.”

It’s the combination of two platforms that Microsoft says makes Xbox One most successful. The on-stage demo certainly looked impressive, with the speech- and gesture-controlled console instantly switching between gameplay and multimedia content.

To recognize that there’ll be a new Kinect sensor bar, which Microsoft will be including in the box with every Xbox One. That has a broader field of view, too, with 1080p Full HD resolution, and can track and identify the users’ voice from across the room.

The Xbox OS will be responsible for games, just as you might expect. However, the Windows core will be used for other apps, such as Skype, and Microsoft will be able to more frequently update it while keeping the Xbox OS stable for game developers to rely upon.

Meanwhile, the new Xbox One platform will be tied closely into Xbox LIVE, which Microsoft says will consist of more than 300,000 servers. That will include a Game DVR feature – complete with editing tools – to upload and share videos of your best achievements in the cloud.

We’re not told anything about the processor, but I’m sure we’ll hear about it in the future at some point. Other than the RAM and hard drive space, we’re told the One has HDMI input and output, which will allow you to plug in other HDMI devices into your Xbox One, which we’ve never seen before in a gaming console.

The Xbox One is also running three different operating systems. One is the raw Xbox OS that’s for developers, the second OS is a kernel of Windows, and the third OS isn’t necessarily an OS, but rather a piece of software that allows the two operating systems to communicate with each other.

Microsoft also showed off and talked about the controller, which is based on the Xbox 360 console, but it looks a bit sharper this time around, and the battery compartment is more flush with the controller. There’s also vibration built into the triggers, and a new D-pad has been introduced, which will hopefully subside all the haters.

The Xbox One can connect to all of your devices in your living room (maybe not ALL, but probably most of them). By doing this, you can control other home entertainment devices and even turn on and off your television using the Xbox One with Xbox On voice commands. You can also cycle through various apps on the new console by saying things like “watch TV,” “call Fred” (in Skype).

However, you can also turn on the console by saying “Xbox on,” meaning that the console can be turned off per se, but it will always be on in a sense in order to hear voice commands to turn on the console. You can also use hand gestures with the Kinect camera to swipe through home screens and apps, which will give you a Minority Report-type feeling.

Essentially, it’s a lot like what you can do with the Xbox 360 Kinect already, except this time around, there’s a lot more you can do with voice commands and hand gestures, and it’s a lot quicker and faster to navigate through apps. The voice recognition seems to be quite crisp and fast, and this also was the first time we got to see the new Xbox One interface, which looks a lot like the Xbox 360 interface.

The system Mattrick spoke of at the event right from the beginning of an All-in-one system that works with Games, TV, and entertainment and is what Microsoft intends to be “Simple, Instant, and Complete.” A reveal trailer was played on the big screen showing the device – and its peripherals – as quick as it was named: this is the Xbox One.

This device has a slot-loading full-sized disk drive – DVDs and Blu-Ray, that is, and has two peripherals right in the box. This device works with a full-sized controller that’s extremely similar to the controller from the 360, with a bit of bulk shaved off it’s back.

This controller has been shown to be completely wireless from the start, and will be working in collaboration with the system’s Kinect system. This sensor sits separate from the Xbox One console as it has in previous editions, and all pieces here appear much more square than in past editions as well.

This system will work with voice recognition and voice control, will be connected to the cloud for gaming, and you’ll be working with a user interface that’s extremely similar to what we’ve seen recently from Windows 8. This system’s release details will be shared a bit later today – stay tuned through our brand new Xbox One tag portal for more!

It’s likely that Microsoft will take a cue from Apple, in this case, continuing to support the previous-generation device for at least several more years. It would be a slap in the face, essentially, to see the Xbox 360 bite the dust in an instant, especially when games continue to be developed and released for it up unto the week we’re in right this minute!

As the next-generation Xbox makes its debut, so too comes an entirely new layout for gamers looking to get in on the device straight from the start. This change-over has been tipped to be similar to that of Microsoft’s push for Windows 8, bringing on Live Tiles and color themes not unlike the desktop-based system. It’s understood that Microsoft will be implementing many Windows 8.1 “Windows Blue” features in the initial release of the Xbox 720 as well.

There’s also been a big update to the global Xbox universe with a release of the title THE MUSIC ROOM for Xbox users only. This is an interactive TV series that is essentially heralding an era where programming is available to certain devices only – in this case, a gamble for Microsoft on the idea that enough people will love the Xbox 720 for its entertainment programming alone – television shows, that is.

For Xbox 360 owners, several changes should be prepared for. The first of these is the depreciation of the Xbox Points system. It doesn’t seem at the moment that these points will be dashed out entirely, but a change-over to a new system will be taking place one way or another if all goes as suggested.

This detail – along with some other pointed rumors of the unavailability of used games and offline gaming – have gone far to push Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s warning that the Xbox 720 – along with the PlayStation 4 – could face the same gamer hate as the Wii U from Nintendo. It was also revealed this past week that EA has cut and run from the Nintendo Wii U, having no games planned for this device in their current roadmap.

The Xbox 720 has been tipped to be working with a TV tuner, DVR streaming, and augmented reality abilities. It’s been said that this next-generation console will act as a mid-way point between your television and your TV box, allowing you to get notifications when you’re watching your everyday TV programs. Just about the only thing that’s not been rumored for this Xbox is specifics in its processor, graphics abilities, and final game package.

The final unit will be revealed today (May 21st, 2013) in an event at 1PM EST – that’s 11AM PST and NOON if you’re living in the Central time zone in the USA. You’ll be able to find the full collection of Xbox news bits up-to-the-minute through SlashGear’s big Xbox tag portal throughout the day – and into the future as well!

At Amazon, the Signature Shot Pack will include a special Black Viceroys level in which players will need to infiltrate one of the gangs in the game. There’ll also be an exclusive Black Viceroys outfit for the player’s character.

Over at GameStop, meanwhile, there’ll be the Palace Pack for preorder customers. That will have a different infiltration mission, as well as giving the player the ability to hack ATMs and get more cash from them, among other things.

Perks to encourage gamers to choose one retailer rather than another are commonplace, especially with high-profile titles like Watch Dogs. However, most of the time the extras thrown in are along the lines of posters or exclusive artwork, figurines of game characters, or appealing – but non-essential – add-ons for in-game play.

Ubisoft’s two extra missions, however, are likely to be something many gamers would like to play, and the fact that if they want them they’ll have to preorder two copies of Watch Dogs is already prompting some upset. It’s possible the publisher could release the levels later on, as DLC, but that’s certainly not confirmed at this stage.

Preorders for the game have already opened – including the PlayStation 4 version – with availability for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and Windows expected on November 19.

VIA: Geek

We already know that Sony is sticking with its black look that they’ve implemented on all their consoles since the PS2, so now that we have that out of the way, the design is the only aspect that we’re wanting to see. One Redditor studied the teaser video and came up with a design of what the PS4 might look like. It looks pretty sleek overall, with the first thing you’ll notice probably being the giant cooling vent in the front.

The design also has a small fan toward the back on the side, and we’re assuming that there’s one on either side of the console. As for other features, we’re guessing the slim silver plate on the front is the disc tray that pops out, but we’re assuming that the PS4 will have a slot-load drive, seeing as this is 2013, but we’re not quite sure what Sony might do in this case.

Is this what the PlayStation 4 will look like? We obviously don’t know — this is merely just a piece of concept art that attempts to get as close as possible to the real design based on teaser images that we’ve seen. However, we certainly can’t say that this isn’t a design that could be close to what Sony has come up with.

As for the Xbox 720, the reveal event starts at 1 pm ET, and we’re not sure what Microsoft will show off exactly, but we do know we’ll get a look at some video games that will be releasing for the new console, including Call of Duty: Ghosts. Microsoft is planning Xbox 720 events three times this year: today, at E3, and at Gamescom in August, so the company may split up announcements between these three events.

VIA: Kotaku

SOURCE: Reddit

The two-part series will be presented by Laura Jackson, EDGE reports. Meanwhile, former Libertines co-frontman Carl Barat will appear as a special guest, and Everything Everything, Don Broco, and Swim Deep will perform.

Unlike traditional television, however, The Music Room will support interactivity with viewers. Xbox LIVE Gold viewers will be able to “determine the show’s finale in real-time” Microsoft says, with live polls used to guide the outcome.

That’s an oft-referred-to feature of IPTV, but we’re yet to see it comprehensively break through into the mass market. Audiences are already familiar with voting for reality TV shows, though that generally takes place via SMS text message or by calling a premium rate phoneline.

Microsoft’s approach, however, will rely on Xbox LIVE, and opens the door to a far greater emphasis on digital TV content, particularly in the next-generation Xbox. That is expected to feature a number elements designed to emphasize multimedia consumption, though the rumor-mill has proved indecisive on which, exactly, will make the final cut.

For instance, there has been talk of a pass-through HD video input, which would allow the new Xbox to sit in-line with your cable/satellite receiver and your TV. Then, if friends on Xbox LIVE invited you to join a multiplayer game, the message could be flashed up on top of whatever TV show was currently playing.

Another possibility Microsoft supposedly considered was DVR functionality, turning the Xbox 720 into a TV recorder. However, insiders claimed that concerns about prompting dissatisfaction among content owners means that’s unlikely to show up in the final console.

Whatever the final functionality, Microsoft is clearly putting Xbox at the heart of its digital TV content strategy. The company sold off its Mediaroom business back in April, saying it wanted to focus on services as part of the Xbox brand.

The Music Room will start on Wednesday, May 29, at 3:30pm ET (8:30pm BST).

While the big event starts at 1PM Eastern Time tomorrow, it becomes time here and now to see what we’ve got on tap. This is the Xbox 720, very possibly set to be the first Xbox since the first released at the start of this line to be named simply “Xbox.” Along with it comes rumor of an Xbox Surface device, bringing on a whole new generation of Microsoft’s home-made tablets aimed directly at the gaming world.

With or without the Xbox Surface, word of early prototypes has reached SlashGear’s ears from sources anonymous, noting several elements as being cut or at least having been put on the cutting block and kept at the last minute for the console. One of the more important of these is a feature allowing the Xbox 720 to act as a mid-way point between your TV box and your television.

With this constantly-on feature, the Xbox would work with Xbox LIVE to give you updates and send you requests while you’re watching television shows or movies. Without such a feature, the Xbox would be attached as it always has been – connected to an input on your TV separate from the rest of your devices. With an HDMI-in port on the Xbox 720, it would appear that, somehow or another, Microsoft intends to keep you at attention all the time.

The Xbox 720 has been tipped to have “Xbox TV” features both in and out of the mix in past iterations before its final presentation this summer, with Google TV boxes having acted as a guide at points here or there. With cries out for a fully games-dedicated machine from early testers of the device, it may be that Microsoft has pulled back a bit on the entertainment side of things.

It’s been suggested that this version of the Xbox might work with DVR functionality as well as a TV tuner, both of these having been available as accessories for the PlayStation 3 internationally in the past. With such things built-in to the new Xbox, things could be more centralized for Microsoft in the living room than ever before.

The Xbox 720 has been suggested to be revealed in pieces, similar to what Sony is doing with with the PlayStation 4 – and both devices will have a massive showing at E3 2013, where gaming has its heyday each year.

The teaser video, which you can watch below, gives us a very blurry view of the PS4 console box itself, although it doesn’t look like much through an unfocused lens. Throughout the video, we get treated with quick flashes of various close-up angles of the console, including its edges, corners, vents, and logos (which we’re guessing the image above is a new logo of some sort).

At the end of the teaser, we’re treated with a date of June 10 at 6 pm PT, which is during Sony’s press conference at E3, meaning that we’ll get treated with the full PS4 treatment at E3, including more details about the hardware, as well as a release date for the console. Microsoft is also expected to show off its next-gen console at E3 this year.

Speaking of Microsoft, the company is set to announce their next-generation Xbox console tomorrow, so we’re pretty sure that today’s teaser from Sony was strategically timed to attempt to take a bit of day-before excitement away from Microsoft. However, come tomorrow, all eyes will be on the Redmond-based company and their new gaming console.

The PS4 is planned to release in time for the holiday season, and we can only expect Microsoft to do the same with their console. However, it’ll be up in the air on who out-shines who when Santa comes to town. Needless to say, it’ll be nice to have the console wars heated up again after neither company has released a new console in quite some time.

This so-called Xbox 720 is ready to jump off the blocks with abilities inclusive of its predecessors. You’ll still be able to play games on it, of course, but you’ll also be able to use the Xbox 720 as your one-stop shop for home entertainment. The Xbox TV will be part of this equation.

Microsoft will need to keep the power of the Xbox 720 as a gaming console intact in order to continue to compete with Sony, of course. As the PlayStation 4 was revealed only in a very basic way, it’s expected that Microsoft will use the opportunity to come in with a bit more solid force.

Essentially: “hey Sony, that’s a nice wireless controller you’ve got there – we’ve got an actual machine to show the public.”

That said, it won’t be long before Sony shows their PlayStation 4 console hardware off to the public, either. Have a peek here at the first E3 teaser video released earlier today, straight from the source.

So it’s a black box with sharp edges – exciting! Will Microsoft come back at Sony with a white box with rounded edges? We shall see!

The abilities of the Xbox 720 will likely spread their way across your living room and enter your smartphone and tablet as well. As Microsoft already uses a system called Xbox Smartglass to allow owners of iPhones, iPads, Android and Windows Phone devices, and likely more platforms to control the Xbox remotely. With the Xbox 720, Microsoft will likely expand how this system works, allowing users to control their Xbox system in ways not yet available: game control, for instance.

As the Xbox becomes more a part of the living room entertainment system family, so too must it work at all times. It’s been suggested that the Xbox 720 will be placed between your cable or TV box and your television screen itself. As you watch the content you love each day, you’ll also have Xbox notifications on-screen for for your convenience.

Of course if you like to change inputs on your TV like you’ve always done, it’s up to you.

Microsoft will certainly expand the Xbox’s ability to work with the web, likely making a point to show the machine’s ability to game in the cloud right out of the box – if they do anything more with the cloud at all, that is.

Kinect will very likely be getting an upgrade, and its expected that the Xbox 720 will be sold initially as a Kinect-included system only when it first goes on sale. Tips of IllumiRoom being integrated into the system when it launches have been shut down by Microsoft earlier this year – the same is likely true with any other 3D augmented reality integration – at least at the start of this release.

The Xbox 720 – rumored to be called simply “Xbox” from this point forward – will be shown off on Tuesday, May 21st with few, if any, game titles attached to it. The reason for this is the imminent approach of the E3 gaming convention where Microsoft has promised waves of games being announced in a fantastic display.

The actual release of this system has also been rumored – of course – this time being suggested for a November release. If that were true, Microsoft would likely beat Sony to the punch or have a hammer-drop at nearly the same time as the PlayStation 4.

GT6 was given the official nod earlier this month, the most ambitious of the Gran Turismo series so far. The game will include 33 different locations, seven of which are new; there will be 71 different layouts to choose between, of which 19 are new.

On top of that, racers will be able to modify and customize their favorite cars using in-game accessories and upgrades. Sony hasn’t given specifics, but there are said to be “thousands” of possible add-ons to choose between.

The new cars will include Alfa Romeo’s TZ3 Stradale ’11, the classic 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, the pared-back KTM X-BOW R ’12, and Mercedes’ SLS AMG GT3 from 2011. Geek-favorite Tesla will also feature, with the new Model S Signature Performance (though not the Performance Plus version) also making its debut.

As for how those cars will drive – virtually speaking – Sony is particularly excited about its new suspension and kinematics model. There’s also a new tire model – in partnership with Yokohama Rubber and KW Automotive – to make the handling more realistic, and a fresh aerodynamics model.

Gran Turismo 6 will launch on the PlayStation 3 initially, in time for the 2013 holiday season, but Sony has already dropped some significant hints about a PlayStation 4 version.

Thanks Zak!

Some of the strategies for extra console “stickiness” Microsoft considered involved making sure the new Xbox was always involved in whatever the gamer’s TV might be showing at the time. One possibility apparently worked on was an HD input on the Xbox, which could be used to input signals from a cable or satellite box and then overlay Microsoft’s content on top.

That – a similar strategy to what Google used with the early Google TV boxes – could then be used to flash up Xbox-related news and notifications on top of regular TV. So, the sources suggest, gamers could challenge their friends to a multiplayer match, with the alert showing up on top of broadcast television.

The system could also be used to further break down the walls between live content, whether from cable or another source, and on-demand content and gaming served up by the next-gen Xbox, it was claimed. Microsoft even whipped up DVR functionality for one prototype version of the console, but “has been wary of including it” because of concerns that it might negatively impact current partnerships with content owners.

Such fears haven’t, apparently, affected Microsoft’s arch gaming rival, however. Sony has offered a TV tuner, the torne, and a DVR accessory, the nasne, for the PlayStation 3 for some years now, though only in Japan.

In fact, Microsoft supposedly went one stage further than a heavily-integrated console, and developed a full Xbox TV. The likelihood of such an all-in-one reaching the market seems low, however, given the commoditization of TVs, and the fact that – over the typical multi-year life cycle of a console – Microsoft would probably have to more frequently update its screen technology.

Meanwhile, there’s also chatter around streaming gaming, another topic Sony has confirmed will be integrated in some way into the PS4. Microsoft’s strategy on cloud gaming – though still a work-in-progress, the tipsters say – is more cautious, apparently, with concerns that the cost of infrastructure might prove unwieldy, while the potential for underwhelming and frustrating gamers with slower internet connections raised fears about the possibility of a negative backlash.

Any eventual implementation of cloud gaming on the Xbox 720 could start off in more humble ways, ensuring backward-compatibility with existing Xbox 360 titles. According to previous rumors, the new AMD-based architecture of the incoming console won’t be natively compatible with that of the 360, and one possible workaround to that is allowing upgrading gamers to stream their old titles running on a remote server.

Exactly which elements of these features – if any – will make it to the production console is unknown at this stage. However, a more accurate Kinect motion-controller seems more than likely, though talk of 3D glasses that could add augmented reality-style gameplay to titles is perhaps somewhat more shaky. Microsoft is known to be working on IllumiRoom, a projection system which expands gameplay and other home entertainment beyond the confines of the TV for more a immersive experience, but the company has said it won’t be ready in time for the Xbox 720 release.

Microsoft is due to announce the new Xbox on Tuesday, May 21, though the first big games announcement will take place at E3 in June. Previous talk has indicated a November release date, with the possibility of both outright purchase and a subsidized model, similar to those of cellphones, where the console would be cheaper but gamers would be tied into a two-year Xbox LIVE GOLD subscription.

That will mean cross-platform support for both the existing console and its replacement. Messaging systems will work on both models, apparently, allowing gamers to communicate whether they have the 360 or the next-gen model, while beacons and achievements will also supposedly be supported across the board.

The change in the Xbox dashboard will also see the Xbox Points system deprecated, as has previously been rumored, with new currency and gift cards used in its stead.

As for when all this will happen, the first signs could be as early as next month. The initial public beta will take place either late in June or in early July, the sources suggest; assuming all works as expected, that should be followed by the final update in August.

Speculation about the new Xbox – which has colloquially been referred to as the “Xbox 720″ – has been rampant over the past twelve months, particularly in the period since Sony announced the first details of its PlayStation 4 earlier this year. Exactly what hardware will be included is uncertain, though there has been chatter of a smaller overall device with mandatory Kinect motion-gaming control and redesigned gamepads.

Nonetheless, there have been notes of caution from industry insiders, warning that the days of blockbuster game-dedicated consoles may be behind us. Earlier this month, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick warned investors that both the Xbox 720 and the PS4 could face the same sort of gamer apathy that Nintendo has encountered with the Wii U, sales of which have proved underwhelming.

As Kotick sees it, mobile and casual gaming – such as might be played on a smartphone or tablet – has made significant inroads into the segment overall, and that will make for a far tougher market for the next-gen consoles to break into. “We continue to face the uncertainties of the console transition” Kotick told investors.

More details will become clear when Microsoft makes its first public announcement about Xbox 720 this coming week, with an event on May 21 expected to see some – though unlikely all – of the console’s features revealed.

However, 130,000 units is a far cry from March and February, when Microsoft sold 261,000 and 302,000 consoles, respectively. Total revenue brought in for the Xbox 360, including hardware, games, and accessories, adds up to $208 million, which is also more than any other gaming console for the month of April. However, its more than half of what Xbox 360 sales were a month previous, when March brought in $402 million.

During April, the Xbox 360 also held six out of the top 10 console games, which include NBA 2K13, Dead Island: Riptide, BioShock Infinite, Defiance, Injustice: Gods Among Us, and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. NBA 2K13, BioShock Infinite, and Call of Duty: Black Ops II were also on the list during March.

The steep drop in sales could be a result of the impending announcement of the so-called Xbox 720, which Microsoft will unveil on May 21. However, the console most likely won’t actually release to the public until later this year in the fall, meaning that if sales are slipping already, it’s going to be a long summer for Microsoft and its Xbox 360.

As for the latest gaming console that has hit the public pipeline (the Wii U), sales aren’t doing so well either. The console has missed Nintendo’s expectations, and it seems many developers and publishers are beginning to rethink their strategy to makes games for the new console, including EA, who has said that they don’t have anything in the making for the Wii U, which could potentially hurt the console even more.

SOURCE: Official Microsoft Blog

Whereas previous E3 appearances have seen Nintendo show off new hardware, Fils-Aime said, the show this time around will be focused solely on new titles. Alongside the official announcements, Best Buy locations in the US and Canada will have demo stations set up in multiple stores so as to give gamers a chance to try well in advance of when they’ll be able to buy.

Exact details on which locations and which games will be participating are unknown at this stage. However, Nintendo’s focus on new titles hardly comes as a surprise, given the company has previously blamed a shortage of games for 3DS and Wii U for underwhelming sales.

What there won’t be is a big E3 press conference. It’s not the first time Nintendo has tried to whet appetites with some sneaky pre-release access. Back in November, ahead of sales of the Wii U, various US retailers offered experience kiosks where the new console could be tried out.

Still, developer confidence in the Wii U particularly is looking patchy. EA, for instance, confirmed this week that it has nothing in the pipeline for the console.

The Nintendo Direct also revealed some release dates for upcoming titles, including Donkey Kong and the Legend of Zelda. SEGA, meanwhile, has inked an exclusive deal with Nintendo for the next Sonic the Hedgehog title – Sonic Lost World – which will only be available on 3DS and Wii U.

The device formerly known as Project SHIELD will be coming from the same set of retail partners as it was when its first availability was announced before Google I/O. This change of heart affects each of the set: NVIDIA’s pre-order page, Newegg, and Gamestop in the USA and Canada Computer in the Great White North. It’s just Micro Center that’s not got a pre-order page prepared at the moment – they’ll be going live inside the next few days.

SHIELD retains its specifications outlined in detail earlier this week, it being an NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor-powered gaming Android clamshell-style gaming handheld device made for both local and streaming game content. Utilizing the Tegra 4′s 72 GPU cores for graphics prowess, this machine is being marketed as both the highest-powered Android gaming device on the market while it brings streaming PC gaming at the same time.

It’s important to note, mind you, that the PC gaming streaming abilities SHIELD employs will not be launched in their full, finalized form when the device ships. Instead, NVIDIA suggests that this part of the equation will remain in Beta for an unspecified amount of time – but not so long that we imagine users will be freaking out.

Have a peek at the PC streaming abilities of this device as well as some Android gaming above in a couple of SlashGear’s several hands-on demos with this device as it inches closer to a final release. Expect shipping to take place sooner than later.

The controller is called the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick. Some manufacturers try and make their hardware as tamper-resistant as possible, but Razer has fully embraced the modding community. This arcade stick is built specifically for enthusiasts to be able to access the inside of the controller and modify the device to their preference.

Razer even offers a template for the top panel to make it easier for you to customize the controller to your liking. The controller opens at the top of the arcade stick revealing access to internal storage compartment where you can store the detachable cable, screwdriver, and space for two more buttons. The joystick itself comes with a ball top and an additional bat-shaped top.

The cable for the controller is 13 feet long and can be removed for portability. Razer uses Sanwa Denshi hardware components that promise to last for a long time including 10 high response buttons and a precision eight way joystick. The top of the controller is designed to allow you to add your own custom artwork.

The arcade stick also has a honeycomb structure on the inside making it easy to attach screws so you can add your own components and hardware. The controller has a 2.5 mm audio jack for use with the Xbox 360. The Atrox will be available for pre-order on May 21 with the launch in Japan set for this month and a global launch in June. The controller will cost $199.99.

SOURCE: Razer

According to the numbers, iOS is now the leading platform for consumer spending on mobile games, overtaking “gaming-optimized handhelds” like the 3DS. Google Play is accelerating fast, however, and while still lags behind iOS, is predicted to exceed traditional gaming spend by the end of the current quarter.

App Annie blames seasonality for most of the slump that Sony and Nintendo are seeing, but warns that ad-revenue isn’t included in its numbers. That could mean even more of a gulf is opening, considering many Android titles follow the so-called freemium model where a free download is offset by in-game marketing.

For traditional platforms, the DS and DSi saw the biggest proportional slump, with App Annie suggesting that gamers are shifting over to 3DS instead. However, that’s not to say the 3DS gaming spend is much more reassuring, almost halving between Q4 2012 and Q1 2013.

Games represent around 40-percent of downloads in both the iOS App Store and Google Play store, the research company says, and are the number one motivator to store growth. In total, spending on games across iOS and Android amounted to nearly 3x that of gaming-optimized handhelds in the three month period.

The disparity is only likely to become more pronounced now that Google has waded fully into mobile gaming. At I/O this week, the company unveiled Google Play Games Services, a cross-platform rival to Apple’s Game Center which leverages Google+ for social leaderboard sharing, among other things.

Google is yet to fully address arguably one of the biggest issues facing Android game studios, however, that of software piracy. Some developers have complained of a 95-percent piracy rate for their Android titles, with users reluctant to pay even $0.99 for a game.

VIA: TUAW

One of the biggest game developers in the gaming universe is EA, which produces franchises such as Madden NFL, The Sims, and the Battlefield franchise. About two years ago, EA announced an “unprecedented partnership” with Nintendo hinting that a number of video games for the console would be coming. Fast forward a few years and EA is now saying that it has not one single game in development for the Nintendo Wii U now.

EA hasn’t ruled out the possibility of developing games for the console in the future, but the company currently has no games in development for Nintendo’s latest hardware. This is a rather surprising revelation by EA considering it and Nintendo were throwing in together to the point that in 2011 at E3 Nintendo’s CEO and EA’s CEO took to the stage together to talk about the Nintendo Wii U and the number of games coming for the console.

EA did develop and launch video games for the Nintendo console early on including versions of hit games such as Mass Effect 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Madden NFL, and FIFA. However, none of those games launched first on Nintendo’s new console or were exclusives. In fact, they had all been available previously on the other game consoles. EA spokesperson Jeff Brown told Kotaku this week that the earlier run of games for the Nintendo console was EA delivering on its E3 2011 content partnership.

If EA saw value in designing and developing games for the Wii U, you could bet that the company would be doing it. If you’re a big fan of the Wii U, EA’s lack of support for the console means you will have no NFL video game to play because EA holds the exclusive license. It ever a console needed a massive first party video game success, the Wii U is it. However, it looks like Nintendo will have to step up and develop any successful games to drive desire for the console itself, and it doesn’t exactly have a strong track record in recent years for developing hit video games.

SOURCE: Kotaku