Microsoft finally ended the mystery and took the wraps off its next-gen console, given the moniker Xbox One.
Fans finally got a glimpse of the new gaming console yesterday (May 21) and Microsoft is fervently hoping that the third-gen console can strike a chord with gaming fans and become synonymous with living room entertainment. The Redmond giant would also be hoping that the Xbox One can take on Sony's PlayStation 4, when the two battle it out for top honors this holiday season.
The Xbox One makes its debut eight years after the Xbox 360 and was launched by the game unit chief Don Mattrick. The console was shown off flanking a new Kinect camera-and-voice sensor and a redesigned gamepad. The Xbox One, dubbed the "ultimate all-in-one entertainment system", will go on sale later this year, possibly alongside the PS4.
"Xbox One is designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device,"Don Mattrick, president of Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, said.
The new console benefits from new features, which include a Blu-ray drive, feedback built into gamepad triggers, upgraded Kinect camera sensors and Skype video calling functionality. The Xbox One will be also able to interact with a user's television, as well as respond to voice commands.
Specs-wise, both the Xbox One and PS4 will have 8GB of RAM, Blu-Ray drive and Bluetooth support. And neither of the consoles will offer backwards compatibility.
When it comes to motion control, the Xbox One relies on Kinect 2, whereas the PS4 will have DualShock 4. The Xbox One also supports voice commands and it is not yet known if the PS4 will also take the same route.
"The integration of voice and gesture control with social features and real-time sharing are crucial and create the opportunity for consumers to have a complete entertainment hub of which Xbox is the epicentre," said Fred Huet from research firm Greenwich Consulting."
Moreover, in case you're wondering about the new Xbox One controller, it has a newly designed D-Pad and other new features in tow. Two buttons replace the older Xbox Home button, wherein one seem to be for window-switching and the other looks like it has a list view or right-click function.
EA Sports has already announced new titles for the console namely FIFA 14, Madden 25, NBA Live 14 and the fighting game UFC, which would all launch on the platform in the next 12 months using a new games engine called Ignite.
No specific release date has been given for the Xbox One, but it will be released later this year, possibly year-end, when the PS4 is also slated to hit the shelves.
