Microsoft Xbox One Now Available For Test Drive In Stores

From now until Nov. 22, Microsoft is letting the public test drive the new Xbox One in all 75 of Microsoft's own branded retail stores in the United States and Canada. This is not the first time Xbox One has been officially available for public gameplay previous to the next-gen console's official launch date, but it is the most permanent. Forza Motorsport 5 will be the only game available.

Although gamers probably won't get to log hours and hours playing Xbox One in stores, they will get enough time to whet their appetites. Microsoft of course hopes this will seal the deal for all would-be fence-sitters. (If you're interested in paying the console a visit and want to find out where the nearest store is, visit the Microsoft store locator.) The company is placing special emphasis on the controller itself as it rolls out these demo editions of the console to gamers.

"They will also get a chance to check out improvements made to the best controllers in gaming," wrote

retail stores COO David McAughan at Xbox Wire. The console, as we reported two months ago, supports up to eight controllers at once; and the controllers themselves include a standby mode, which suggests a nod to smartphone processor technology.

Previous availability of the Xbox One took place in the form of the Xbox One Area One Tour, Test Drive Tour, and a huge array of other promotional events since Oct. 1, when the system was first primed and ready for gameplay. Unofficial availability has been happening since Target accidentally started shipping a few preorders more than two weeks too early.

SOURCE: Xbox Wire