Xbox One Release Date |

Xbox One release date reportedly set for November 8

August 27, 2013 By David Leave a Comment

With Sony revealing the release date for the PS4, we are now waiting for Microsoft to release news on their Xbox One console release date. The PS4 will come out on November 15 in the US and November 29 in Europe.

A new leak from a product placement employee who works with Walmart has said it will come on November 8, a full week before Sony’s PS4 release date. This could be a clever move by Microsoft to get the Xbox One on the shelves before the PS4 even arrives, getting excited shoppers on the bandwagon.

The Xbox One is unlike to come after Thanksgiving or Black Friday, this is a secret rule all tech companies seem to follow, getting their devices and products out before mid-November in order to grab big media attention and consumer attention.

Microsoft has been on a full on retreat since the slamming at E3, where Sony crushed the Xbox One’s small hype. Even before the unveiling, rumours and leaks showed the Xbox One to have DRM, used-sale policies and other nasties, making consumers look to the PS4.

However, in the months past, Microsoft has reverse policies on DRM, used game, always-on Kinect and indie game development. This has made the Xbox One a more open console, but some innovative ideas like digital sharing and making sure developers get all the money for game sales.

The problem was the way Microsoft approached the console, they did not offer reasoning why one thing had to be this way and one thing had to be another way. It was a big miscommunication and it dented Microsoft’s fanbase, forcing them to change policies and rethink the Xbox One.

Games are a big part of the Xbox One’s appeal, it has a lot of exclusives in the line up and with the new indie policy allowing anyone to create a game the same way anyone can create an Android app, it could lead to a huge line of fresh titles, amongst the piles of garbage we are going to see if the platform becomes completely open.

Microsoft is also focused on TV and this may draw down users in Europe and Asia, where the US TV connections will not work. The Xbox One will offer NFL content, but it may not offer anything in Europe and Asia, although Europe gets a free copy of FIFA 14 to cover that issue.

Source: Kotaku

PlayStation 4, Xbox One Release Date to Cost $349, $399 respectively

July 18, 2013 By Daniel Giordano 10 Comments

Both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 release date are going to be available for sale around the same time at the end of the year. The Xbox One will be priced at $399 and the PlayStation 4 is going to be priced at $349. The prices of the gaming consoles were not officially announced by the respective manufacturers but by the popular analyst, Michael Pachter from Wedbush Securities.

The price analysis comes just before the E3 video game conference that is going to be held in the next week. Pachter made the analysis by calculating the amount of money that was spent on the materials that were used to build both the gaming consoles. The research was done on the basis on the price speculation of each of the devices and was also done on the basis of their specifications.

Eight years ago, the Xbox 360 was launched at a price tag of $399 in 2005. The PlayStation 3 was launched in two hard disk storage capacity variants, the 20GB model was priced at $499 whereas the 60GB model was priced at $599. According to Pachter, Sony made the PlayStation 3 available at an expensive price which affected its long-tem popularity.

Sony and Microsoft are yet to reveal the official prices and they have not commented on Pachter’s report. If you feel that Xbox One’s $399 and PlayStation 4’s $349 tag is on the expensive side, Pachter has something interesting for you. He feels that different partners of Microsoft and Sony will make the gaming consoles available at much cheaper rates.

He said the Xbox One which lets you view live TV, cable operators might offer contracts that will last for couple years along with the Xbox One devices. Also, the gaming console from Microsoft can be connected to browse the web to perform video calling on Skype. This can interest internet service providers to offer Xbox One devices at reduced rates.

The rival gaming console, PlayStation 4 may not be available with such exciting offers. Still, the makers can provide discounts to customers who avail PlayStation Network subscriptions. Since the features of the Sony PlayStation 4 are not yet known, the PS4 may come out with similar features that are present on the Xbox One. If this happens, there are chances of getting the PS4 at reduced rates.

The Xbox One is not just a gaming console but a complete family entertainer. The PlayStation brand name suggests that it is a gaming console. It is only because the Xbox has metamorphosed into a family entertainment system, expectations are high that even the new gaming console from Sony will offer multimedia functions.

Pachter also added that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo will be reducing the rates of the previous generation gaming consoles. He said that we can expect a price reduction of $50 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 whereas the price of Nintendo Wii U could fall to $99.

Xbox One Release Date Updated – Could be arriving in November

July 8, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

A stream of rumors surfaced over Xbox One release date, but Microsoft does not seem affected by the overwhelming speculations of customers. It seems that Microsoft is plotting it tough to beat its toughest rival, Sony.

Initially revealed at E3 2013 on June 10, Xbox One looked way more powerful than Xbox 360, but matching PS4’s dynamo still remains questionable. However, not all its specs were revealed at the press conference and developers are still into modification, improvement and insertion of more powerful specs into the Xbox One.

Amazon UK has stated November 27 to be Xbox One’s finalized launched date, but it seems more of a placeholder than a finalized schedule, as Microsoft clearly stated that it has not yet revealed Xbox One’s final launch date to any of its retail partners.

Respite no confirmation, it is evident that the all-in-one gaming console will reach users in November. This late autumn or early winter time seems appropriate as people will have ample time to enjoy games during the holiday season of Christmas.

Meanwhile, Sony is also away from announcing an official release date for PlayStation 4, although it has confirmed that it will be available during 2013 holiday season and also its price tag, which is set at $399. More than 300 million units of the former three generations of PlayStation were shipped by Sony and the Japanese tech is confident over its fourth-gen gaming console as well.

While the contenders are busy in curving their paths to superiority and fans are expecting much from their adored manufacturers, retailer Amazon is enjoying great benefits with high rates of pre-orders. Not only Amazon, but a popular digital retailer GameStop also reports the same.

Likely, the two much anticipated gaming consoles will be launched somewhere around November-December, following a close launch date to each other.

Xbox One Release Date Rumors, Amazon gives a hint

July 4, 2013 By Lori David 1 Comment

Of the Microsoft Xbox One and its launch date, we might just have had the launch date confirmed one more time, though via unofficial channels. According to sources, the new gen gaming console from Microsoft will arrive on November 27. Worth mentioning here, it is the same date that was quoted on previous occasions as well as the launch date of the highly anticipated Xbox One. The above revelation has its origins in Amazon’s own email team, claiming that to be the expected ‘delivery date’ of the console. Amazon’s own listing of the console had mentioned the delivery date as Nov 27.

Amazon isn’t revealing anything else except claiming that the date it has mentioned is based on the manufacturer’s ‘date of fulfillment’. What that means is anybody’s guess right now. Meanwhile, Sony’s latest PlayStation 4 is slated to arrive on November 21^st which if true will ensure it has the early advantage over its Microsoft rival and will have the chance to woo consumers on its side before Microsoft is able to do so.

Of course both the dates mentioned above are to be classified as rumors and will remain so until Sony and Microsoft comes up with the respective dates officially. Where the Sony offering has another advantage over the Xbox One is the price, with the PS4 priced a full $100 less than the Microsoft console. The Xbox One is priced $500 while Sony has kept the price of its Playstation 4 to $400.

Another aspect where Sony is also believed to have an edge over Xbox One is the former’s marketing strategy involves launching the device in maximum territories at the same time. Microsoft, on the other hand is believed to be embarking on a gradual launch strategy with its box One which analysts believe could prove detrimental to the prospects of the gaming console in the long run.

Microsoft Xbox One to Release in November – To be available at a price of $499

June 15, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

The Xbox One’s $499 price tag announced by Microsoft at the swanky E3 event on June 10^th is apparently higher than gamers’ expectations. The console is slated for a November release in 21 countries, including the United Kingdom, where it will cost £429. Its price is higher than that of the current Xbox 360, but it will include the Kinect unit for hands-free playing.

The latest Xbox One is competing with the next gen consoles of Sony and Nintendo in the evolving video game industry. Given that Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 are closest competitors, gamers cannot ignore that the former’s $499 price tag is approximately $100 more than the latter’s price. Nintendo’s new console costs just $300.

Among the exclusive game titles for the new console, Microsoft announced Minecraft and Halo to be released next year. Ryse: Son of Rome, Killer Instinct and Project Spark are other historical games that will debut on Xbox One. The event included demos of Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall, a multi-player shooter game.

The company highlighted the immersive experience rendered by cloud computing. To this end, the E3 event featured demoes of third-person open-world games, such as Dead Rising 3, a zombie-fighting effect, and Sunset Overdrive, a cartoon shooter game. Forza MotorSport 5 will feature “drivatar,” which can imitate gamers’ driving and play them offline.

Voice control is a vital component of the Xbox One package, allowing gamers to switch on the device by just pronouncing commands like “Xbox on.” Microsoft expects the Xbox One platform to equip developers to explore new realms in the gaming world.

Microsoft’s current Xbox 360 is the best seller in the United States. The new console, though expensive, calls itself the “all-in-one entertainment solution for the living room,” and boasts the Kinect motion sensor. Its market performance remains to be seen.

Xbox One Release Date, Launch Event Highlights – Lets have a Look

May 31, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste 1 Comment

Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox – the Xbox One – at its headquarters in Redmond on May 21, 2013. With abounding rumors and speculations, what did the actual event cast for eager fans? Here’s a brief look.

The Xbox One Launch Event

The launch event sparked off an exciting moment for the gaming world. The newly launched Xbox One will succeed the Xbox 360 launched in May 2005. As expected, the event detailed more on the non-gaming environment, calling Xbox One an all-in-one device with a forward thinking system. There was some emphasis on games as well, but more details are expected at the E3 event next month. The new Xbox One did flaunt a good number of avant-garde features to kindle the enthusiasm of its long-time fans.

Key demoes on non-gaming entertainment features

Among the key demonstrations, Microsoft highlighted its Instant Switching feature, which is basically multitasking. The second generation Kinect responds to voice commands, such as “Xbox On,” “Go to Music,” “Watch Movie,” and “Xbox, Show Fantasy.” You can switch between actions seamlessly.

The Snap Mode lets you engage in Skype while watching TV or checking sports statistics. So, you can talk to friends and family without having to pause.

Kinect’s new infrared vision ability signifies a market improvement over the previous version. Even with all lights turned off, its camera could detect gamers and objects facing it. Its “Time of Flight” function gauges the speed at which emitted photons return to the unit, so as to reveal minute details of participants, including wrinkles in clothes and varying button sizes.

Online features

Xbox One will facilitate group Skype. The SmartGlass feature is more integrated with enhanced functionality. Microsoft is collaborating with NFL for integration of Kinect and SmartGlass with fantasy sports. It is also increasing the number of Xbox Live servers for its new console via cloud computing.

Xbox One requires an Internet connection though it need not be online all the time. It allows up to 1,000 friends and can update achievements by assessing gamers’ behavior. It also features a new matchmaking tech.

Xbox One Exciting Games

Microsoft unveiled a good number of games including Call of Duty: Ghosts, Remedy’s Quantum Break, and Forza MotorSport 5, the next in Turn 10’s racing series. Quantum Break will merge live-action and traditional gameplay, based on player choice and in-game decisions.

EA and Microsoft have collaborated to provide four sports games namely, FIFA 14, UFC, NBA Live 14 and Madden NFL 25. Powered by EA Sport’s Ignite game engine, these games will be made available over the next year. Ignite is designed to reduce the demarcation between virtual and real sports by replicating true player motion to mimic human intelligence. It simulates gamers’ play-styles and creates living worlds with ten times more animation detail.

Microsoft Game Studios is developing lots of titles. During the first twelve months of Xbox One release, there will be over fifteen exclusive games, with eight coming from new IPs.

Ubisoft announced Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed for the new console.

Other Highlights

Microsoft announced the establishment of Xbox Entertainment Studios to create original programming on Xbox. The studio-head revealed that Microsoft is working with Steven Spielberg on Halo television series.

A built-in DVR will allow users to record, edit, and even share gameplay, so you can easily share your triumphant moments with friends.

The console comes with a Revamped Multiplayer that features a system called Dynamic Maps, where gamer-driven movements, such as floods and earthquakes will show on a map layout in real-time. With character customization, gamers can get a better personalized experience.

The controller is supposed to have obtained forty different enhancements. With a better input performance, it is expected to be 15 to 20% faster.

The event also included tours through work spaces where Xbox One was designed, prototyped and tested.

Release date and price of Xbox One

Microsoft is planning to release Xbox One in November this year, but did not reveal pricing details or launch packages.

The Xbox One is undoubtedly a big leap from its predecessor as evident from the features revealed at its launch event. Nevertheless, excitement still lingers as eager gamers still have several questions to be answered.