Microsoft's Xbox One launches in November for $499 (hands-on)
Unless you've recently taken up residence under suitably large slab of earth, you're likely already aware of Microsoft's new Xbox One console. If not, buckle up, because there's an endless supply of details coming your way -- now.
The Xbox One will have a $499 starting price when it hits stores this November, and with a price that high, it's clear Microsoft is targeting the well-to-do consumer with the new device -- at least at launch. By comparison, the Sony PlayStation 4 will cost $399 -- although its optional PlayStation Eye camera and motion detector will be a $60 add-on, while the Kinect accessory will be bundled with every Xbox One sold.
The Xbox One
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
For those not ready to drop half a grand on a new media device, Microsoft has refreshed its current gaming console, the Xbox 360, which is now available in a smaller redesigned chassis. The price has been kept relatively low ($200 for 4GB, $300 for 250GB), and Microsoft has sweetened the deal with a two-free-games-per-month deal for Xbox Live Gold members.
Xbox One controller feels light, has buttons of the snappy varierty (pictures)
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Design and Hands-on impressions
The Xbox One is large, sleek, and black, and looks like a piece of AV equipment. The controller and Kinect unit are redesigned, too: the Kinect and Xbox One, in particular, sport sharp-angled, glossy-black boxy looks. As a set, the Xbox One really does feel like some elaborate piece of home theater gear -- and considering its mission to knit entertainment together into a modern all-in-one package, that's clearly intentional.
The Xbox One is large, sleek, and black, and looks like a piece of AV equipment. The controller and Kinect unit are redesigned, too: the Kinect and Xbox One, in particular, sport sharp-angled, glossy-black boxy looks. As a set, the Xbox One really does feel like some elaborate piece of home theater gear -- and considering its mission to knit entertainment together into a modern all-in-one package, that's clearly intentional.
At the E3 show in Los Angeles, we got a chance to play both Ryse: Son of Rome and Crimson Dragon at Microsoft's booth, but if you were here to hear about games, you probably took a wrong turn at the corner of Giant Bomb and GameSpot. No, here we'll focus on the look and feel of the controller and system.
First of all, the new Xbox One controller feels a bit lighter than the 360's, and looks like a slightly more angular version of its older brother. It’s just as comfortable, if not more comfortable than the 360's, as it fits almost perfectly into my hands.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
The D-pad is pretty tight and clicky, but doesn't feel quick as tight and clicky as I expected. It's a definite improvement over the 360’s wobbly disaster of a D-pad. But as everyone knows, the true measure of a D-pad is how well it controls fighting games, but I've yet to have a chance to play Killer Instinct.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
The trigger buttons are wider, but still retain their trigger functionality. It's a trigger initially then slopes down away from the controller. The X (home) button feels a lot snappier compared with the 360's; not as snappy as the other face buttons, but not nearly as slow as the 360's.
Shoulder buttons are wider and depressed quickly, but the plastic feels a bit too thin, giving it a somewhat hollow feel.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
On the back is a battery compartment door that on my controller has a screw on it, but I think that was specific to the demo version. There's a very HDMI-looking port on the very bottom that I’m told is simply there for expansion.
As for the console itself, while I’d heard it was smaller than you’d expect, it actually looked as big as it does in pictures to my eyes at least. If there's a design theme of the Xbox One, it's vents and lots of them.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Both the console and the Kinect are covered with them. Speaking of Kinect, it’s a lot larger and thicker than the current version.
I didn't actually get to lift the console, press any buttons, or get a clear view of its back, but it definitely feels like a device that wouldn’t be out of place in your entertainment center.
(For a second opinion on the Xbox One, be sure to watch Jeff Bakalar's video at the top of this story.)
New Kinect
As mentioned above, a new Kinect comes with the Xbox One, complete with improved accuracy. It has a 1080p camera, Skype connectivity, and understanding of rotational movement in a structure like a skeleton. Microsoft even claims the new Kinect can read your heartbeat. It can also recognize your controller, not just your hands -- suggesting uses that sound a little like the ones for PlayStation Move's wand.
As mentioned above, a new Kinect comes with the Xbox One, complete with improved accuracy. It has a 1080p camera, Skype connectivity, and understanding of rotational movement in a structure like a skeleton. Microsoft even claims the new Kinect can read your heartbeat. It can also recognize your controller, not just your hands -- suggesting uses that sound a little like the ones for PlayStation Move's wand.
The Xbox One's Kinect.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
'Always on,' used games, and lending
Microsoft has detailed the Xbox One's used games and lending details, and addressed rumors of the console requiring an Internet connection to function.
The system will not require an Internet connection at all times, but the Xbox One will need to connect to Microsoft servers once every 24 hours. If playing with your own profile on a friend's Xbox One, once per hour check-ins are mandatory.Microsoft has detailed the Xbox One's used games and lending details, and addressed rumors of the console requiring an Internet connection to function.
Microsoft says this periodic connection is to ensure that the user has the latest updates and that the game currently playing on the system has been authorized to play there. If you miss the 24-hour check-in, you'll still be able to watch live TV and play DVDs and Blu-rays, but no game playing -- not even single-player games -- will be allowed until you've checked in again with home base.
So while the Xbox One doesn't technically require an "always-on" connection, an Internet connection is still required to at least play games, unless of course 24 hours is enough time for you to get all you'd ever want from the system.
This mandatory security check is clearly an unprecedented requirement we've yet to see on consoles. Or for that matter any consumer electronics device I've ever heard of. However, it doesn't stop there, as there's also the issue of used games.
With the Xbox One, you will no longer be able to simply buy a game and sell it to your friend or acquaintance or even sell it on eBay. But game publishers can "enable" you to trade your games in at "participating retailers." Microsoft says it will not charge a fee to any party (publisher, consumer, or retailer) to enable these game transfers.
Microsoft also says that the Xbox One is designed so you can lend your games to friends, but puts the responsibility of enabling this strictly on the shoulders of the publisher of each game. There are, however, two requirements: games can only be given once and the person you give it to has to have been on your friends list for at least 30 days. Game lending will not be available at launch.
GameFly users should be prepared for a bit of bad news. According to Microsoft, "renting games won’t be available at launch, but we are exploring the possibilities with our partners." What exactly that means for GameFly and budget gamers looking to get in on the next console generation remain to be seen.
Unlike previous game generations that relied on some form of physical media, in this new futuristic digital world, the game disc is simply a delivery system. Xbox One games will still be available on discs, but will also have day one digital downloadable versions as well. Games will require that you install them to the One's built-in hard drive.
While this is indeed a brave new world for console gamers in general, there are a few perks with going this route. First off, installing the game to the hard drive means that you won't need to leave the disc in the console. Secondly, you'll be able to give up to 10 "family members" (Microsoft hasn't detailed how that designation is determined) access to your games from your shared library.
Microsoft says "a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time." You, of course, will also have access to your game library from any other Xbox One.
Even given the deluge of info Microsoft dropped, there's still a lot of unanswered questions. Look for plenty of new updates soon as we attempt to get to the bottom of some of the most pressing (and confusing) details.
Home entertainment
Microsoft promises that this is a better-connected way of linking TV, games, and entertainment in one unit -- something the Xbox 360 already does, but will do more via commands like "Xbox, on." As was said during the initial press conference, you're "going to have a relationship with your TV." The elevator pitch: take on a living room that has become "too complex," and make a system that knits together games, TV, and entertainment.
Microsoft promises that this is a better-connected way of linking TV, games, and entertainment in one unit -- something the Xbox 360 already does, but will do more via commands like "Xbox, on." As was said during the initial press conference, you're "going to have a relationship with your TV." The elevator pitch: take on a living room that has become "too complex," and make a system that knits together games, TV, and entertainment.
The Kinect sensor again comes into play here. The accessory enables voice and gesture control, both of which are integrated into the Xbox One's TV control. Watching live TV will involve maximizing and minimizing the screen in a top corner. Live TV will be part of the Xbox One experience, via HDMI-in. Yes, cable TV compatibility looks like part of the package.
(Credit: CNET)
But we haven't seen, other than some picture-in-picture overlays, how exactly TV is piped in and more deeply interacted with -- and who the partners are. Comcast was mentioned, but what other companies will contribute to letting the Xbox One hook in and become a true TV accessory? That was the challenge that daunted Google TV and the Wii U. Right now, it doesn't look like the Xbox One replaces your cable box or your DVR, even though it's large enough to be both.
The Xbox One does knit together new voice commands to do some PC-like stuff: you can order movie tickets, for instance, engage in Skype, or pull up fantasy sports stats while watching a game. The conversational, Siri-meets-Google Now-like voice commands hopefully will have clear menu representation on the console, as otherwise it could get confusing.
"It's an all-in-one entertainment console" is a pitch we've heard before, dating back to the PlayStation 3 and before that -- really, going back all the way to the 3DO. It hasn't always worked, but the Xbox One is better positioned because the Xbox 360's already pretty successful at being an excellent streaming-video device.
Microsoft is also bringing exclusive video content and some unique interactivity to the TV party. At the Xbox One's May 21 rollout, Steven Spielberg announced a new TV series based on Halo, and the NFL demonstrated some level of interaction with fantasy stats and Skyping with NFL broadcasts.
Specs
Under the hood, details so far include an eight-core processor and graphics made by AMD, 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray, USB 3.0, HDMI in/out, and a 500GB hard drive. Besides all of this, Microsoft is promising a new operating system fusing Xbox and Windows.
Under the hood, details so far include an eight-core processor and graphics made by AMD, 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray, USB 3.0, HDMI in/out, and a 500GB hard drive. Besides all of this, Microsoft is promising a new operating system fusing Xbox and Windows.
The Xbox One architecture has "three operating systems in one": Xbox, a kernel of Windows (perhaps like Windows RT), and a multitasking interface. The idea seems to be that this console will be a multitasker at heart. Check out a head-to-head comparison with the PlayStation 4 specs known so far, however, and you can see that the distance between Sony and Microsoft, in terms of hardware, will be shorter than ever.
The Xbox One controller
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
SmartGlass
The tablet-based SmartGlass experience will center on the Xbox One, and will work as before with a variety of phones and tablets. Baked-in Wi-Fi Direct on the Xbox One will allow Bluetooth-like direct communication between external devices, which could come in handy for other future peripherals, too.
Now with SmartGlass you'll be able start single-player games, set up multiplayer matches, view achievements, and purchase in-game add-ons. With the new game Ryse, Microsoft demonstrated the ability to get instant real-time stat comparisons with friends you play with. You'll also have access to any Game DVR videos they've uploaded.The tablet-based SmartGlass experience will center on the Xbox One, and will work as before with a variety of phones and tablets. Baked-in Wi-Fi Direct on the Xbox One will allow Bluetooth-like direct communication between external devices, which could come in handy for other future peripherals, too.
Xbox Live
Built on the existing service and usernames, the new Xbox Live promises 300,000 servers for the Xbox One, a whopping number. Matchmaking services will work while you're doing other tasks like watching movies or Web browsing, and bigger, more quickly connecting matches are promised, too. Microsoft has discussed some cloud services on the Xbox One that seem promising: user-based cloud game saves, uploaded game recording, and even the potential for cloud-processing-enhanced games. How that will play out isn't clear.
Built on the existing service and usernames, the new Xbox Live promises 300,000 servers for the Xbox One, a whopping number. Matchmaking services will work while you're doing other tasks like watching movies or Web browsing, and bigger, more quickly connecting matches are promised, too. Microsoft has discussed some cloud services on the Xbox One that seem promising: user-based cloud game saves, uploaded game recording, and even the potential for cloud-processing-enhanced games. How that will play out isn't clear.
For all you football team and cheerleading squad captains out there, Xbox Live's maximum friends list gets a boost from 100 friends to "all of your friends." It's unclear, though, if that truly means an unlimited capacity. Also, Microsoft says if you're a Gold member, anyone in your household will be able to use your Gold member benefits, including multiplayer matches, without you being signed in at all.
Microsoft stated at E3 that Xbox Live will no longer use its sometimes misleading space bucks Microsoft Points currency, but is joining the rest of the world and using real-world currency.
Game DVR automatically records the last few seconds of your gameplay and allows you to upload video of your latest triumph for others to see. Using Upload Studio, gamers can "curate, edit, share, and publish" videos of gameplay, directly from the machine, according to Microsoft.
Upload Studio's editing options seem pretty limited. Not to take away from the potentially cool feature.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
In the demo Microsoft gave, Game DVR recorded the last 31 seconds of Killer Instinct gameplay, but it's unclear whether that number can be adjusted. Through the interface, you'll have the option to cut the footage down to whatever bad-ass moment you want to focus on.
You can then add commentary using Kinect and choose a skin to add what looks light predetermined thematic elements like slowdown or comic-book-like panels showing multiple hits in dramatic fashion. Hopefully, we'll have a chance to play around with this option soon and get more details on its interface and option.
The Xbox One fully integrates Twitch’s live-streaming capabilities. Xbox Live Gold subscribers will be able to not only live stream their own gameplay -- with the option to add voice or video to the stream with Kinect -- but also watch streams of others as well.
Killer Instinct footage on the Xbox One getting its own live stream, thanks to Twitch.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
This is all accomplished within the Xbox One’s interface and seemed to deliver a simple and quick interface, at least during the stage demo. Microsoft said that viewers watching the game stream will also have the ability to participate and affect the game, but whether it was simply referring to joining the live Twitch chat (seen on screen) or something more specific isn't yet clear.
Live streaming my games is something I’ve thought about doing for a long time, and the fact that it’ll be this easy to actually do is endlessly intriguing.
Games
The Xbox One will not be backward compatible with the Xbox 360, but anyone doubting the Xbox One’s gaming cred need only to sit through its 1.5-hour Pre-E3 press conference presentation where it showed off about about as many as it could fit into that time.
The Xbox One will not be backward compatible with the Xbox 360, but anyone doubting the Xbox One’s gaming cred need only to sit through its 1.5-hour Pre-E3 press conference presentation where it showed off about about as many as it could fit into that time.
A new Halo game was previewed as well as other sequels: Dead Rising 3, Forza 5, and Metal Gear Solid 5. That’s great and all and delights the fanboys, but what was more impressive was the amount of new IP featured.
Project Spark looks incredibly cool and original.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET )
Games like the ambitious game-building Project Spark that features an ever-changing player-dictated game world. Or the open-world shooter Sunset Overdrive, with its wall-running, shotgun-toting hero and an impressively colorful -- but still violent -- world.
However, it was the Super Brothers EP-developed (makers of Sword and Sworcery) game called Below that demonstrated, beneath the senses-shattering bombast of its presentation, that smaller games will still have a place on the Xbox One.
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