Microsoft Corp.'s Don Mattrick unveils the next-generation Xbox One entertainment and gaming console system, Tuesday at an event in Redmond, Wash. It's been eight years since the launch of the Xbox 360. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
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Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft Corp.'s Interactive Entertainment Business, reveals the new Xbox One console at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Wash. (Microsoft / PRNewsFoto)
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Microsoft Corp.'s Don Mattrick unveils the next-generation Xbox One entertainment and gaming console system. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
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Microsoft Corp.'s Don Mattrick unveils the next-generation Xbox One entertainment and gaming console system. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
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Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is shown in a video during the unveiling of the Xbox One entertainment and gaming console system Tuesday, (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
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Microsoft on Tuesday is unveiling the successor to the Xbox 360 at a news event at its Redmond, Wash., campus, pulling back the curtain on its home console plans just weeks before the June Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.
Hero Complex will be live blogging the news right here on this starting at 10 a.m. Updates will be posted below. We’ll be working fast, so please forgive any typos.
Microsoft is the last of the major home console makers to disclose its next generation system. Nintendo’s Wii U was released in late 2012 and Sony threw a lavish press event in February to announce its PS4, although Sony didn’t actually show the system in action. Rumors of new Xbox features have included some form of new embedded Kinect, always-on Web integration and the ability to act as a cable box.
Both the new Xbox and the PS4 are expected to be released by the end of 2013.
Since Sony revealed some of the details on the PS4, which the company described as a “supercharged PC” with a revamped, touchpad-enabled controller, there’s been plenty of speculation as to what direction Microsoft would take. Microsoft has hyped that Tuesday’s reveal will dazzle by presenting a “new generation of games, TV and entertainment,” all of which indicates the company will reveal far more than just games.
The 8 year-old Xbox 360 is going out on top. The console has now been the top-selling hardware platform in the U.S. for 21 consecutive months, based on unit sales, according to research firm the NPD Group.
10:02 a.m.: Microsoft launched its event with a video full of grand pronouncements from A-listers such as Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams, as the company promised that “for the first time you and your TV are going to have a relationship.”
The new Xbox will set “your imagination free,” Spielberg said. After the video, Microsoft exec Don Mattrick took the stage and said a few words that will likely disappoint all gamers tuning in today, noting that at E3 the company will reveal what’s next for Xbox 360 when it comes to games and hinting that most of the game info on the new system won’t come until later.
Still, Mattrick said the new system will be the “ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system.” And with that Mattrick revealed that the new Xbox is titled Xbox One. It looks to have motion-sensing Kinect built straight in, and the controller looks largely unchanged. The presentation then received a massive round of applause from the gaming press assembled at the venue.
10:15 a.m.: Microsoft exec Yusuf Mehdi appeared onstage to show off how fast Xbox One supposedly is and how it responds to voice commands.
“Xbox on,” for instance, turned on the system. “Xbox game” sent the console to games. Mehdi also noted that the system will recognize universal hand gestures, such as swiping up or swiping across, using Kinect. Mehdi said the Xbox will have something called “snapmode,” which allows players to open multiple screens in Windows-like tiles. One example shown was watching a basketball game and using voice commands to bring up your fantasy league in a sidebar. It’s what Microsoft calls “interactive TV.”
10:34 a.m.: Microsoft exec Marc Whitten took the stage to unveil some of the system’s specs. Xbox One will boast 8 gigabytes of system memory, a 500 GB hard drive, a Blu-Ray drive and USB 3.0 and HDMI connections. Whitten said Xbox One will be tied to a specific user’s voice and its commands will be “conversational.”
As far as the controller, Microsoft said its new device boasts “40 design innovations,” many of them used to enhance ergonomics and control precision, such as a newly shaped D-pad. From the home office in L.A., these like look tweaks and not a complete overhaul such as for the Wii U or PS4 controllers.
For those skeptical about new Kinect abilities, Microsoft said Xbox One can recognize your heartbeat while you’re working out. He showed off “Kinect skeletal,” which was used to highlight the joints the new Kinect will recognize. Much of Xbox One’s content will live in the cloud. Users can also pause, record and rewind their game play.
10:46 a.m.: 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross announced that Steven Spielberg will be the executive producer of an original “Halo” live-action television series. “For me, the ‘Halo’ universe is an amazing opportunity for the intersection” of “mythmaking and technology,” Spielberg said via a video.
10:50 a.m.: Microsoft exec Phil Spencer said more titles were in development right now by Microsoft’s in-house game studio than at any time in Xbox history. Fifteen games are coming from Microsoft Studios in the first year of of the release of the new system, eight of which are new IPs.
10:58 a.m.: Microsoft and the NFL announced a new partnership to bring exclusive interactive content to Xbox Live, utilizing Skype and Xbox’s SmartGlass technology. It largely looks to be customized and personalized around a viewer’s favorite team(s) and fantasy leagues. SmartGlass technology automatically pairs the game console with compatible smartphones and tablets, so those portable devices can interact with the TV as a remote control.
11:04 a.m.: Among the new games shown, one of the most innovative looked to be “Quantum Break” from Remedy Entertainment, the developer behind the “Max Payne” and “Alan Wake” games. The title looks to integrate lots of live action content into its game play. A brief video was shown, in which filmed actors led players into the game world. The video shown featured a child who appeared to have the ability to sort of plug in to people’s minds. When an adult asked the young girl what makes her “so different,” she replied by saying, “Are you sure you want to know?” The video then cut to graphical images of worlds and bridges being destroyed.
Other games on display included “Forza Motorsport 5” and “Call of Duty: Ghosts.” The latter has been announced to be coming to other next-gen systems and Activision Chief Executive Eric Hirshberg showed of trailers and making-of footage. The game promises more “emotional engagement” than other “Call of Duty” titles, said Hirshberg, as well as sidekick that’s a dog. In graphical comparisons with older “Call of Duty” titles, we were able to see such details as the scar on the dog’s nose of “Call of Duty: Ghosts,” as well as more photo-realistic facial expressions. The first-person shooter will have the graphic capabilities to show lifelike hair on a human’s arm.
Unlike previous editions of the series, “Call of Duty: Ghosts” puts the players on the side of the underdog, as it begins with U.S. forces having been decimated. When it comes to downloadable content, add-ons for “Call of Duty: Ghosts” will appear first on Xbox One.
11:24 a.m.: Microsoft promised more detailed looks at the games at E3 in a couple of weeks and said the system will be released this year. No pricing information was given, following the example of Sony and Nintendo, which also withheld cost from their initial announcements.
Specifics such as backward compatibility also weren’t discussed from the stage and early interviews with Microsoft execs from those outlets on the scene in Redmond tell us it will not play Xbox 360 discs. “The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn’t really work from that perspective,” Whitten told the Verge.
Hero Complex and Company Town will digest the above information and post more on Xbox One today. Thank you for following along.
– Todd Martens
Follow us on Twitter: @LATHeroComplex
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Xbox 1? Was kinda hoping for a beast name but it'll have to work I guess
it sounds awsome when u just call it "The X1"
The physical design seems to be very uninspired.
My thoughts exactly. It's underwhelming to say the least. I'll stick with the Xbox I have for now. I hope they decide to change the design.
It is not a piece of decorative furniture…
What did you expect? For them to go out on a limb and make something that looks completely bizarre?
No, but at least not be a black box with no artistic design incorporated what-so-ever. It'll be interesting to see what the ps4 looks like.
I see you don't find beauty in simplicity. Also you don't buy something like this for its looks, the mission was to make a next-gen Xbox to handle the resource-thirsty games and applications to be coming out soon. In this regard, it was a success. It's not like 90% of it's users will be doing anything but playing Call of Duty, anyway.
Physical beauty is the least important aspect for a game console. Or, at the very least it SHOULD be. How superficial…
I disagree completely. It is a piece of media hardware. I like the design. It looks nice and sleek. Plus, what is on the inside is more important than the outside :D.
Gonna suck
I can't wait to get this for my kids since someone broke in and took their 360 and kincet
It was me. Ha Ha!
But does it make breakfast for me?
it will
Going from Xbox 360 to Xbox 1 sounds kind of like a downgrade. I just hope that it isn't one…
Went from Xbox, to Xbox 360 (or a circle at which point you're at the beginning again), to xbox 1… I'm beginning to think that even they don't see themselves as improvements to the previous generation of consoles lol
How does it sound like a downgrade? There are so many features that the 360 is not capable of.
based on what? the hardware is far superior, the integration is smoother, the capabilities are greater. The RAM is the same as a decent PC instead of a crappy one. The graphics are on par with a decent PC and not a mediocre one. 'Tis not a downgrade my friend, unless by "down" you mean "awesome".
this new xbox looks awesome.
Man you gotta love this. Xbox 1 welcome home.
Design…… isnt my thing …hopefully the inside of the upgraded shoebox makes the diverence.
The slim looks much beter (design).
Im a little bit disapointed …sorry
New processor.
Also, it has 8GB of RAM which is more than most computers
Scary…Xbox will always be listening.
awesomesauce!
Idk, this one looks alot cleaner.
o cool, the xbox 1, maybe sony should name the ps4 the play station 1, o wait. Nice creativity xbox, glad to see the graphics look the same and we can now spend more money to watch tv through a console through a tv just to watch television
the old xbox 360 games better be compatible with this. also i hope sony shows their new console soon so we can compare. i imagen they will because microsoft did. What do you think
nope cnet already posted compatiblity will not take place. I know i know i am so bumbed my 5k in games can not be played on the Xbox1
"Sony threw a lavish press event in February to announce its PS4"
They already announced it and comparing the two, Microsoft just killed their game brand.
I probably won’t buy it if I cannot use my old games,.. and as far as having a all-in-one media controller,.. I have a few of them all ready, why should I buy another one?
Make my old games playable on the new unit.. and I will buy one so I can play the old and new games on a single unit.
My son stutter's. Will the xbox learn to recognize his voice with his stuttering?
i-i-i-i-i-i t-th-th-th-th-think s-s-s-so
N-N-No!
Will I still be able to play the new GTA on my 360?
yes
Xbox 1?
Pulled out the creativity big guns, did we Microsoft?
This thing is a beast! Its gonna be so fast, I'm stoked.
Awesome
Hope you like sports.
lolz ima troll thiss all day yalll dont even know. u just got trolled on xbox live
You work for trollarc?
Who cares what it looks like…As long as it gets the job done….I say that about all my girls.
PS4 will take this consul to the yard and take it allll day.
Don't be mad because the Xbox 360 outsells the PS3 in the US and worldwide. Also, "console".
Check your figures, it was announced in January that the ps3 has outsold the 360, despite being in the market longer..
By your logic the wii must be better than the 360 because it sold far more worldwide……
I prefer Xbox, but that sales claim may very well be because 360's self destruct fairly reliably.
I would like to watch the new Halo series the Spielberg is producing but I will not buy a console just to watch it. I'm done with consoles. Not a huge fan of paying for DLC after I have already spent $60+ on a game.
Spielberg as TV producer = Terra Nova, The River, Falling Skies… In other words, Spielberg producing a TV series is NOT good news (and yes, I consider Falling Skies to be a failure even though it did manage to last more than 1 season. That show just sucks).
They should've gotten James Cameron to produce that Halo series. Now THAT would've been a show I would've been eager to watch.
hi there be watching halo on this xbox one oh by the way i am from the future soo i will be watching from real halo ring halo is biggest space strutre in multi verses soo there are ufo gamers
My guess is they're calling it Xbox 1 because its the "1" and only console needed. At least by their opinion.
They called it Xbox One because it's an "All In One" console.
Mattrick said the new system will be the “ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system.”
They call it the xbox 360 because when you see it, you'll turn 360 degrees and walk away…
So… what you're saying is that the 360 is so appealing, that when people see it, they spin in a complete circle and walk over to play it?
…that would just put you back where you started
That was a stupid remark. 360 degrees is a complete circle. 180 degrees is to “walk away”. Go back to grade school.
When you turn 360 degrees you would still be looking at it stupid
My PC is laughing its' ass off right now and will be forevermore…HAHAHA Thank God I joined the PC master race!! PC gaming FTEPICW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
guess its back to making microwave size gaming consoles…again
wow. That was a sad, sad reveal. Honeslty, I love my first xbox, never got a 360, but still enjoyed playing whenever I could. But this was duller than a white pickett fence.
Other than the OS I was unimpressed. They should have focused more on the console's capabilities than emphasizing all the other non-gamey entertainment.
Who cares what it looks like it about what the thing can do and how it can perform.
Time for more domination by the PlayStation!
Everyone I know that has a PS3 uses it to collect dust. It's a glorified Blu-Ray player.
Why would you want to watch a movie while chatting with a friend? Either talk to your friend on skype, or watch the movie……simple right… Enough of this multitasking 3/4 of your attention silliness.
Xbox FTW looks great and has great specs cannot wait
There wasn't much said about hardware other than 8GB of RAM and 500GB HDD space. Which isn't all that important.
Wow. That’s it? Not impressed at all, 💩💩💩💩
well i agree with it kind of sounding like a down grade, but keep in mind, through out the event they kept saying, one system to bring everything together, so i can see where the name comes in, though i do suppose Xbox Unity or Xbox Unlimited……shoot i even like the Xbox infinity idea..
One console to rule them all, one console to find them.
One console to bring them all and in our houses bind them.
You guys are complaining about how it looks and calling it a down grade because the name has a smaller number behind it? Well this isn’t an iPhone. It’s supposed to be their new take on the xbox in terms of use and hardware not their attempt to dazzle you with a name like xbox 720 which people have been assuming the next one would be called for years. By how it sounds internally with the specs and future intended uses this sounds pretty awesome. Who cares if it’s not the sexiest design to date? Judging a book by it’s cover imo
Most of you are complete idiots,did you read the specs? or are you just stupid? Anyone who owned a 360 is gonna be blown away by this console and ps3 fans won't know what they're seeing.lmfao
the specs are essentially a low end PC dude. My current PC has higher capabilities already. Not only that, I'm sure PS4 is gunna be a bigger threat to xbox than the ps3 was.
Sure, the specs do sound nice but hardware isn't everything. A lot of people care about the software too. The fact that it's incompatible with 360 games and the fact that you might have to pay extra to play used games is a turn away for a lot of gamers, myself included.
i see xbox one took the time to show off all its non gamer features, thats great you can watch tv on it with some simple voice commands,built in kinect not that most gamers even use it for call of duty.it would have been cool if they made the console make pancakes in a little robot console form like in harold and kumar christmas movie, but it seems the xbox one has gone from a game console to mostly a non gaming console…. so ends the era of the xbox
That’s why its called a all in one xbox… it has blu ray gaming and all the other stuff. Also the reason why it has a lot of ram and memory is you can play higher qaulity games.
Design and name are disappointing yes.
It looks like the original Xbox.
I wonder if they use any of the old kindve things from the Xbox. And Xbox 360.
Also. I hope it will be backwards compatible. To where you can play all Xbox and Xbox 360 games
PC rules over all.
Apples and oranges Mr. pc troll. Apples and oranges.
As the article has said the XBox has been the number one seller, but how did it compare to new owner sales and not resales for failed systems that people were replacing? I know of at least 5 different people have have purchased more than three (3) consoles since they owned them all because of failed hardware. Does anyone have an answer for that?
Awesome, no gameplay footage & more time spent advertising non gaming features than promoting the fact that it's supposed to be a gaming console. Seriously, the thing looked almost twice as big as the original 360 & that's without taking into account the gigantic attachment that comes with it. Honestly, how many people out there are cheering over the fact that they can now wank off over live fantasy sports updates than being disappointed over more time being spent on advertising the worlds biggest & most technologically advanced DVR than promoting the fact that it's supposed to be a gaming console? A mere fraction of the time was spent on promoting its gaming chops. Epic, epic failure Microsoft.
Still, you have to admit its better than what Sony "revealed." At least Microsoft had the decency to tell us exactly how bad their console is gonna be.
but can it see why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?
Also, did they properly test this one? I would like for the console to last longer than 6mo or a year. Thanks.
its trying to say "xbox won"
Will the console play old games that's what worrys me also what about youtube Internet explorer Netflix
This will not be backwards compatible. It even says it in the article, and what they said is correct. You can't always play an old game on a new system that runs under a completely different architecture.
Yeah that’s why I think a lot of people won’t buy it…because the Xbox 360 released a lot of games so its
just like making another gaming system
One way they could do backwards compatibility is buy storing the games on the cloud because the cloud on xbox one is gonna have unlimited cloud storage
or, you could buy a pc
.
.
.
/inb4butthurtconsolefans
That's what I'm doing. The "features" of the Xbox one have made me lose complete faith in consoles. I highly doubt Sony will do any better with the next gen psfail.
wow I cant believe you people are excited for the most part. Here comes another system that in no way shape or form is innovating to the gaming industry, unless you consider stealing more money from your wallet to play full games innovation. Microsoft and Sony have 2 systems that don't need to exist at the same time, enjoy your Xbox 1 cause its gonna be a steaming pile of 2. If you want to play games buy a PC and stop throwing money at these morons, god video games suck now.
Xbox Infinity is a beast name. Xbox One sounds mediocre.
I am unimpressed. It looks exactly like the 360 but with semi better graphics and other nice fluff. I was hoping for innovation but I guess that won't be happening.
not backwards compatible with 360 game disc's hmmm sounds like an effort to go fully digital finally(as MS has wanted for some time) which means no more trading in old games towards new/used at local gamestops and if thats the case i'll keep my old 360 around if even as a paperweight. hope i'm wrong on the direction it looks like their heading.
As long as they continue making games for the 360 I dont care if it walks my dog, I aint buying it.
So….$699.99? $749.99 for a bundle?
Not just a games console but a smart entertainment system and it looks great, but I think the price tag could hurt.
Well, I guess I'll be getting a PS4 instead. It's nice to see that at least Sony and Nintendo remember that the consoles they make are for video games with some extra stuff on the side, not a ton of extra stuff with a few games on the side.
so is it gonna be xbox 1 then xbox2 and 3 and 4 and 4x just 1 big set up
Not impressed. Too small of a jump graphically to take my money. It's like upgrading from sega genesis to super nintendo. I'll wait till Xbox 2 comes out before I buy Xbox 1.
Once again, Microsoft does nothing inspired
It has a Blu-Ray player so I won't buy it. Screw Cinavia protection. I'll build my own system.
Didn't I buy Xbox 1, 12 years ago? C'mon man!
Ever look up "decimate"? It means merciful, as in only destroying 1/10th! Stop abusing english.
not buying a product with a always on built in as in diablo3 i should have to be monitored while playing games
I don't like the idea that you can't play all the games, the games will be very limited and we will still have to pay $60+ for all the games that are barely getting out.
The amount of people that confuse 180 degrees with 360 degrees honestly scares me
I like both consoles, owned all the playstations and xboxes. My first console was the TI-99 and my first pc was the Commodore (I programed with BASIC!). But unlike most, my first thougts was it will take 2-3 years of development before they really squeeze the power out of this architecture. The launch games will be slightly prettier than this current gen, but give it a while and they will maximize the engines and really shine. Cant expect much off the bat here ladies and gentlemen. Much like the PS3 and 360 launch titles are fairly ugly compared to more recent games. Sad to hear no BC on either PS4 or Xbox1. Both will offer downloads of older games Im sure. But saying "the architecture is too different" is a total copout. If I can run Win98 on my Vista, or XP on my Mac, theres no reason this cant be emulated.
That said, Im optimistic about this next gen, but wary of the potential "big brother", "always-on even in the dark" Kinect functionality. Just kinda creepy! Otherwise, I gotta start saving now, as both these beasts will be out by xmas!
So, I wont be able to play 360 games on the 1?
Surprisingly similar to the shape of the wii.
I can just imagine the fluff being more of an annoyance then a improvement.
Talking with a friend "yea, i'm just watching some tv on my xbox… no i did not tell you to start a function xbox! stop… no don't shut down!"
Or a fly in the room, try to swat it, moves screen.
i hope this isnt stupid
Anyone heard of "Content Distribution Regulation by Viewing User" ?? Look it up before buying into this horrifing new Skynet technology!! I'm scared shitless from ever having this in my home. And, to top it off. It doesn't play back-system games, OR used games w/o purchasing a code also. To me, its not a game console. If I can't borrow games from buddies, then its not a gaming device, period.
You have to DOWNLOAD the game into your XBOX ONE and use a one time only code to play game.
!@&? WTF Then the disc is no good anymore. WTF Why have discs? Why not purchase ALL games via XBOX LIVE
Makes no sense to own this machine. If you have DirecTV and own a computer your fine. XBOX ONE wil combine both while WATCHING YOU. Thats right fella's. While WATCHING YOU. HAL is now official and he can bite you in your ass!! KINECT has been super upgraded to read out all possible gestures and movements by people and their actions. Possibley report certain activities in your home to the authorities. Possibley send certain authorities to your home with warrants for arrests.
This new KINECT can read thousands of human gestures, solo, and combined with others. And in a nano second.
It recognizes you sitting, eating, smoking (pot), playing, having sex, doing drugs, hitting, drinking, hammering, jumping, exercising, walking, running, juggling, praying, beating someone (lol), petting, kicking, gesturing, etc. etc. That's why you can't run XBOX ONE if you disconnect the KINECT unit on this device. It watches you while XBOX ONE is on or off.
Spooky isn't it.
You can't play second hand games on the new system, can't play 360 games.
The 360 was about games.That was its strength. The new xbox will be a poor pc.
Arrogant and greedy!!
It's more like a pc. What's the point of that? Just buy a pc. That would be an option, except for the also terrible windows 8.
Bunch of losers .
Apparently it is not backwards compatible. That's disappointing. I guess until I get entirely bored of my current games, my 360 will be sitting right beside my 1.
Its a bad move for microsoft if they go for a more entertainment console than a gaming console right now ps4 is looking very good compared to the Xbox One and Im a Xbox fan!
THS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING. Xbox One is making some solid moves, really looking forward to its release. – ChewTheDirt.com
Have you seen Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn? If not you should totally see it. It's a great adaptation from the game. Check it out here – http://www.halo4forwarduntodawn.co.uk