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The Official Xbox One thread...

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#1 ·
Release Date: November 22nd 2013

Price: $499

Unboxing Xbox One Video (Click to show)
Controller Video (Click to show)
Headset Video (Click to show)
Play and Charge Kit Video (Click to show)

Xbox One: Everything We Know (Click to show) From Kotaku


JASON SCHREIERWednesday 10:40amg 51,973L 601


The Xbox One won't be out until this November, but details about Microsoft's next-gen console have been hitting hot and heavy for the past couple of months. So for your convenience, we're rounding up all of that information and putting it right here.


As we continue to learn more about the Xbox 360's successor, we'll keep updating this post, so check back over the next few months to make sure you're totally caught up with all of the next-gen news.RELATED


The Console


It's shiny and black—only black, for now—and it comes with Kinect 2.0 and a controller. Fancy! No word on dimensions just yet, but here's Stephen Totilo comparing the machine to various objects he had on him at the time:

The Controller


Iterating on the Xbox 360's controller, the Xbox One controller is very similar to its predecessor, albeit a bit wider. In the middle, replacing the 360's Back and Start buttons, are new buttons called Menu and View. The back-trigger rumble is way improved, by all accounts, and each trigger can rumble separately thanks to two new rotors in the controller.


And then there's this creepy tidbit, via Microsoft: "An infrared LED on the front of the controller allows Kinect to automatically recognize you, making it easier to pick up and play." YOUR CONTROLLER WILL KNOW WHO YOU ARE.


Pre-ordered versions of the Xbox One will come with a special branded controller that says "Day One 2013."


The Specs
The basics:


8 GB DDR3 system memory, with 5 GB of that available for games (the rest is used for the operating system)8-core, x86 processor500 GB hard-driveBlu-ray driveThree USB 3.0 portsHDMI in and out portsA custom GPU based on AMD architecture

The Price


Four hundred ninety-nine U.S. dollars. $499. (Also: 499 euros, or £429 for our British buddies.)

The Games


In addition to a third-party lineup of next-gen software that currently includes multiplatform games likeThe Witcher 3, Metal Gear Solid V, and Dragon Age: Inquisition, Microsoft has secured a number of exclusives for Xbox One:


Ryse, an action-adventure set in ancient, QTE-stuffed RomeBelow: a quiet adventure by the folks behind Superbrothers: Sword & SworceryA reboot of the old fighting gameKiller InstinctCrimson Dragon: a rail shooter designed by the creator of Panzer DragoonSome sort of Halo, because of course.Sunset Overdrive, a colorful shooter by Insomniac, the folks behindRatchet & Clank.An adventure game called Quantum Break that will blend with a TV show of the same name (not unlikeDefiance)Forza Motorsport 5. vroom vroom.D4: an episodic murder mystery by the director of Deadly PremonitionDead Rising 3: Capcom's open-world zombie slasher


Some other games, like Harmonix'sFantasia and Respawn's Titanfall, will be available for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One (and in Titanfall's case, PC as well).

The DRM


This one's a doozy. For a month or so, Microsoft was all about a digital Xbox One: you'd have to connect to the Internet once every 24 hours to play games, for example, even to play them offline. Used games would also be restricted heavily.RELATED

Microsoft Is Removing Xbox One DRM


Then came the reversal: in late June, after intense backlash and criticism, Microsoft announced that they hadchanged their minds. Total 180. No more crazy DRM policies.RELATED


Xbox One DRM Reversal Cuts Features, Requires One-Time Connection


So, long story short: you'll need to connect to the Internet at least oncebefore you can play games on the Xbox One, but after that one-time patch, it'll work just like the 360 did. You'll be able to play offline. You'll be able to buy and sell games just like you can today.

Region-Locking


Also thanks to the big reversal, there is now no region-locking. Microsoft now says the Xbox One is totally region-free.

Kinect 2.0


The Xbox One requires a Kinect to function, but this isn't your old body-sensing device: this is Kinect 2.0, which accommodates smaller rooms, recognizes your facial expressions, and can even detect your heart rate. Some more info, via Microsoft:


It includes a 1080p, HD camera that captures video at 30 frames per second. All new, active-infrared capabilities increase precision, allowing it to work in nearly any lighting condition and expanding field of view to accommodate a greater variety of room sizes. Microsoft proprietary Time-of-Flight technology measures the time it takes individual photons to rebound off you to create unprecedented accuracy and precision. The new noise-isolating multimicrophone array filters ambient sounds to recognize natural speaking voices even in crowded rooms.RELATED


Xbox One's Kinect Can Turn Off, Microsoft Says, Noting Privacy Worries


Worried about the privacy implications of having a device like that in your living room? Microsoft says you'll be able to turn it off, although the details are still a bit hazy.

TV Interactivity


You're never gonna believe this, but the Xbox One ain't just for playing games. Microsoft wants it to be ahome entertainment system. I know—I'm shocked too.


At the big Xbox One reveal in May, Microsoft spent a great deal of time showing off a feature called Snap, which will allow you to multitask on your television. To quote MS:


Use Snap to do two things at once. Talk to friends on Skype, and watch the big game together. Follow what people are saying about your favorite show by surfing the Web. Listen to the music of your choice while playing the latest blockbuster game. Jump back and forth instantly between experiences without a loss in performance.


So you can Skype while watching a movie, check your fantasy scores during a football game, and so forth. Multitasking: it's the future!

Xbox Live


Xbox One's Reputation System Sounds Crazy But It Just Might Work


Microsoft's online service has always had a bit of a reputation for being infested with obscene thirteen-year-olds, and now the Xbox makers are going to do something about it: with their new Reputation system, players will be held accountable for what they say online.


Getting muted or banned during games will cost you reputation points, and players will be matched online based on their reputations.


Also, more friends! The friend cap on Xbox Live is now 1,000.

Achievements


Xbox Achievements Are Changing. Here's How.


Xbox One has a whole new system in place for Achievements: in addition to basic cheevos, developers will be able to give you Challenges, or timed events like, say, "a headshot weekend challenge that requires players to cumulatively headshot 1 million baddies in a 3 day period. And every person who participates and meets the challenge’s goals gets the unlock on his or her achievement history and reaps its reward."


Achievements will also be far more malleable thanks to Microsoft's cloud servers, and insanely enough, you'll also be able to earn achievements by watching videos or listening to music through your Xbox One. It's a much bigger system.

Miscellaneous


Some other random facts you should know:


The Xbox One is not backwards compatible. "If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards," ex-Xbox boss Don Mattrick told the Wall Street Journalback in May.You'll be able to record and edit gameplay footage on your Xbox One, then upload it online. You'll also be able to stream yourself playing games on Twitch. The system will automatically record the last five minutes of gameplay as you use it.No more Microsoft Points! Finally.Although the "family sharing" plan originally announced in May is no longer a confirmed feature, Microsoft's Marc Whitten has hinted that it could come back in some form.Microsoft is all about cloud processing—or processing that can be performed on their servers, theoretically lightening the load for your console and allowing for more impressive games than would be possible with the Xbox One's processing power alone. It's all theoretical for now, though.Many developers are using Microsoft's "SmartGlass" technology to allow you to use your phone or tablet as an accessory for games. InDead Rising 3, for example, you can use a mobile device to call in airstrikes to blow up zombies all around you.Microsoft hasn't officially announced their indie policies for Xbox One, but we know that indies will be able to self-publish on the console in some way, and that Xbox Ones can function as devkits. More info to come at Gamescom.


Update 7/31/2013:
Microsoft support 360 headsets
http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/31/4574286/xbox-one-will-be-compatible-with-current-gen-headsets-microsoft

Update 8/13/2013

Kinect no longer needs to be connected

http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-wont-actually-need-kinect-plugged-in-microso-1113142909
 
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#10,081 ·
I still see nothing with my BestBuy pre-order. So hopefully the ship it out tomorrow. I was hoping something might happen today.
 
#10,083 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Troy LaMont  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10050#post_23975440


I'm sorry, but those are definitely altered! Go to the Anandtech thread yourself see the original PNG images. I'm sure the final images took a hit in the conversion to GIF, but the differences shown there are no where near the original picture, I mean seriously?!

You know, I didn't even look at the originals but I went back and checked the dog in the tank originals and think you're right. I didn't see much difference between the PS4 and XO pics and nothing like that GIF makes it look.
 
#10,085 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Soycrema  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10050#post_23975493


Ummm...tomorrow is Thursday dude.....so if it didn't ship today looks like you'll be getting it on Friday;)

Doh! My calendar is clearly off! Good news is we're one day closer than I thought, bad news is I wont be getting it early. No worries! Cheers...
 
#10,087 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jhoff80  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10080#post_23975627


Not at launch, unfortunately.

Unless you're buying all 22 launch titles I don't think that'll be too much of an issue really. Same for the PS4, why upgrade the HDD now unless you're a super gamer and plan on all of it's launch titles as well?


Even with the day one patch and an average game download size of 20Gb (very rough) , the Xbox One drive as it is will fit at least 20 full games, I don't even play that many games in two years so as long as I know down the line I can add additional storage for other games and media, I'm content.
 
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#10,090 ·
#10,091 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by michaeltscott  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10050#post_23975257


The suggestion that if you're not bending over backwards to save every little bit of power that you can that you shouldn't save when saving is effortless is silly.
There is a point of diminishing returns where you could achieve far greater energy and cost savings by attacking a different issue. That's a fact and there's nothing silly about it. In the grand scheme of things 15.4W isn't that big of a deal but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
 
#10,093 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by c.kingsley  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10080#post_23975827


Has there been any clarification on which update to try and install?

I'm downloading both now so I am covered.


The directions specify how you know which to use...it's by the os currently installed on the system. Apparently there are already 2 different operating system versions out there on customer units.
 
#10,094 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by soundwhat  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10080#post_23975836


I'm downloading both now so I am covered.


The directions specify how you know which to use...it's by the os currently installed on the system. Apparently there are already 2 different operating system versions out there on customer units.

OK. Cancel that. I continue to get errors and the files will not download. Anybody else experiencing a similar issue?
 
#10,095 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by soundwhat  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10080#post_23975869


OK. Cancel that. I continue to get errors and the files will not download. Anybody else experiencing a similar issue?

"This download was interrupted" is the message I am getting. Looks as though microsoft posted but doesn't want the files to be downloaded yet.
 
#10,097 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bd2003  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10000_100#post_23975372

Quote:
Originally Posted by michaeltscott  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10070_10#post_23975306


I'll admit that that is a possible consideration. It's a bit less than twice as long as my 360 S. I'll see how I feel about it when I get it.

I wonder what the power consumption goes down to when kinect isn't hooked up, or the power on by voice feature is disabled.

It's the power-on-by-voice standby mode that eats 15.4W; when that's disabled it uses .2W while waiting for an IR command or button push to turn it on.
 
#10,100 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RemoWilliams84  /t/1474708/the-official-xbox-one-thread/10050#post_23975056


So can you set the xbox to automatically go to tv when you say xbox on? If not, it will probably be a non-starter for me. My wife isn't going to want to say xbox on, xbox go to tv just to watch "16 and ignorant".

It depends on how "automatic you want it? If your wife says Xbox On, and Kinect automatically signs her into her profile then it is pretty close to automatic. All she has to do is pin only tv stuff to the Xbox One so that is all she will see. Also the Xbox will remember the last thing she was playing so if she does is watch tv then that will be all that is there.
 
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