back to article Is the next-gen console war already One?

How else to start a Game Theory column other than with the Xbox One? With the dust starting to settle on news reports, I’ve gone for a rather more devil’s advocate approach to Microsoft’s unveiling. There’s also room for a review of Metro: Last Light, and a quick look at the splendid The Last of Us to whet the appetite for next …

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  1. Thomas 4

    Remember kids

    It's not a "games console" - those things are suitable only for sweaty, ugly nerds. This is a "media entertainment system", designed for stylish and hip young 20-somethings that might use it once or twice a week to watch "Game of Thrones" on Sky.

    1. Lamont Cranston

      "watch Game of Thrones on Sky"

      with a load of pointless waffle plastered all over the screen, utterly obscuring what it was that you were trying to watch in the first place. We all love an enhanced experience, don't we?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "watch Game of Thrones on Sky"

        "We all love an enhanced experience, don't we?"

        Yes, we do. So I hope that future TVs will have a "filter out pointless hamfisted incidental music" option, for a start.

      2. riparian zone
        Meh

        Re: "watch Game of Thrones on Sky"

        *ahem*, I don't think subtitles for the hard of hearing pointless, no?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It's not a "games console" -.... This is a "media entertainment system"...

      Had hoped it would be exactly the reverse. A state of the art gaming system that would herald a true virtual reality next-gen gaming experience open to all developers. But MS is too busy trying to control living rooms to produce classic titles. After reading the posts on here I fear we're not moving into a gamer renaissance but rather a new era of control. With Xbox-1 and other consoles closing the door to Indie developers, original game quality will suffer. Of course that won't stop the hype of the next Forza, COD, Halo series etc.

    3. N13L5
      FAIL

      Just a way to feed us more garbage

      Another new way to get a media brainwash.

      Anything, just so people won't wake up.

      We'll sell it below cost, cause the cartel will reimburse us, so long as we can keep them dumb and too busy with pointless crap to notice what's really going on here.

  2. HP Cynic

    I own both the current consoles and a high-end gaming PC so remain distinctly non-partisan. Before console "reveals" I was optimistic, excited and expecting to want one if not both.

    Alas neither console impresses me that much from a "Core Gaming" perspective as both seem to be focussed on social / sharing nonsense and TV streaming rather than actual games.

    I'm currently more negative about the XBox One because:

    1. I don't want a Kinect, that's not only included but compulsory for use.

    2. The name is plain awful and I won't get used to it : just as I never stopped mocking the Wii.

    3. Most of the fancy TV/streaming services won't work in the UK.

    4. It looks like a 70s VCR in black/grey motley

    The PS4 has work to do to entice me to buy it but I'm already pretty confident I'll not want an XBox One.

    Will be very interesting to see how they are priced if that's something they reveal at E3.

    1. Tony Paulazzo
      Big Brother

      1. I don't want a Kinect, that's not only included but compulsory for use.

      Things you will no longer be able to do in your own living room:

      Have an honest political discussion (keywords emailed straight to FBI)

      Have sex on your sofa (or wank) - assuming all your porn legitimitely aquired

      Smoke grass, snort coke, inject smack

      Lie on your sofa naked or in pants

      Get into fight or kill somebody

      Say to your partner, 'turn that fucking xbox off and talk to me (without one of the above happening)

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Grow up. Nobody is interested in your political opinions or your little life. Maybe watch less sci-fi and read El Reg comments a bit less, and go outside for some fresh air, clearly you're very easily influenced.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "Grow up. Nobody is interested in your political opinions or your little life."

          The history of espionage, real espionage rather than James Bond, is of governments taking extraordinary levels of interest in the lives of normal people. For example, back before computers, our own government had masses of staff who's job it was to cut out and file letters sent into newspapers. Not BY any particular person, but by everyone who expressed any political opinion at all.

          Those staff have been replaced by computers that do the same thing with your email and your web browsing where technically possible. And, if it is technically possible, then they will do it. These are the people who had a tail put on Wordsworth FFS. They see every "little life" as a potential root of some unknown future big life and since they don't know which boshy 15-year-old will eventually become the founder of a new political party or movement they believe - really, really believe - that it's their duty to track everything they can about everyone and assume that they'll come up with some way of usefully analysing the data at some point. Because only the guilty have anything to fear, of course.

          Whether you're JDK on El Reg, or Edward the VIII - there's a file on you somewhere in MI5.

          1. Tom 35

            "The history of espionage, real espionage rather than James Bond, is of governments taking extraordinary levels of interest in the lives of normal people."

            Even without espionage, I'm sure there is someone at MS thinking of all the commercial valuable info they can collect.

            For example they can count the number of people watching a TV show, and if they watch the ads.

            1. Chet Mannly

              "For example they can count the number of people watching a TV show, and if they watch the ads"

              MS also said that Kinect can be used for pay per viewer - ie to monitor how many people are watching a show and charge accordingly. Plus of course Facebook have a biometric database, so it would even be possible to identify who is watching.

              Plus MS have already stated that the kinect can read logos on clothing or objects - so it can catalog what you're eating, drinking, reading etc.

              Tinfoil hat stuff sure, but if the tech is capable of it, and there's money to be made surely its a case of when not if.

              The potential is enough to make me avoid it like the plague anyhow...

        2. Tony Paulazzo
          Coat

          "The Xbox One has Kinect functionality built into its very core," Rivington says. "To turn the console on, you need only say the words "Xbox on" - the console is always listening." It doesn't require a living room the size of a football pitch any more, it can see in the dark and it can detect your heart rate...

          ... Whenever a new bit of tech appears, the same question arises: is it an Orwellian spy tool? Apparently not, says Hugh Langley. While Kinect constantly listens for your commands, it "won't always be spying on your living room activity". Microsoft promises complete privacy when you expect it.

          Just like they said it won't require constant Internet connection, when they meant it must phone home once a day for continued use.

          But ok, going for some air now, but unlikely to watch less scifi, I loves that stuff!

      2. Amorous Cowherder
        Happy

        Sex on the sofa?

        "Things you will no longer be able to do in your own living room:

        Have sex on your sofa (or wank) - assuming all your porn legitimitely aquired"

        If you've nothing better to do than watch me making a desperately poor attempt to please the Missus, be my guest! I must warn you that it'll be 4.2 seconds of your life you'll never get back!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Windows

          Re: Sex on the sofa?

          You get to do her TWICE in one session?????

          Lucky bugger....

        2. The Nazz

          Re: Sex on the sofa?

          You need to have a word with your Mrs. Mine can bark a sharp "NO" or throw "the glance" in no more than 2.14 seconds.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Yeah.. I'm kind of with you on this..

      Firstly I dont know what all the fuss is about the name, honestly people are just going to call it 'xbox' anyway I dont know anyone who currently referes to as a 360..

      And all the additonal functions, M$ you dont seem to realise your trying to compete with my Smart-TV.

      You need a TV to provide the functions, and my tv provides most of the stuff without having to turn on yet another box..

      Kinect - nope dont want one, not sure why it needs it. and the fact its always on...

      [M$] but we give you options to turn it disable the features

      [ME] So I could just unplug it if need be..

      [M$] No, the xbox wont work if you do

      [ME] Why? Why does it even 'NEED' it in?

      [M$] er.. because..

      [ME] Looking forward to the first bit of hacker tech then to tell the system its there then aint I.

      Yeah and the requires internet access, okay technically not 'Always Online' but if it REQUIRES it then it may of well be, so looking at throwing away about a 3rd of you customer base already M$ (but we need to see what this 'requirement' is, they cant be that dumb..can they?)

      Then there the installs too hdd, but then the game is tied to the account and if someone sells/borrows the disk then a fee has to be paid.. er what?

      Am begining to think M$ have lost the plot, at least a third of their customers are children who buy games 'second hand' what the hell to they think this will do to that market?! But frankly I think that is the point.

      They want to treat their customers that corporate entites where we have to pay licences for everything.. sorry M$ the real world isnt like that.. And if this is what your aiming for.. then why are you even selling disks? especially since we dont need them to play the games? surely you could provide downloads for your 'may-as-well-be always online' machines and provide the games at a 3rd of the price since the overhead would be tiny?

      It appears M$ is trying to pull alot of stuff people really dont want, but slip it under the radar and they need to be pulled up about it, rather than skip over it like in the vast majority of the reviews I've read so far..

      okay rant over, I'll get my jacket..

      1. Ally 1

        Re: Yeah.. I'm kind of with you on this..

        I think the overheads for games is tiny anyway in comparison to the end price.

        The thing that gets me is that because of the restrictions in second hand games..2nd hand games will be 90% of the purchase price of a new game..people will be a lot more focused on games they want, and that will lead to hyped-up blockbusters and big marketers getting the vast majority of the custom. Welcome to Xbox One, we have CoD, FIFA AND Forza, all you'll ever need!

        OK it's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much

        I've seen nothing at all that makes me want either the One or the PS4

        1. Paul Westerman
          Facepalm

          Re: Yeah.. I'm kind of with you on this..

          "I think the overheads for games is tiny anyway in comparison to the end price."

          Yeah most artists and coders will happily work for free on a project for three or four years. Plenty of games, big and small, don't make their dev costs back.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Yeah.. I'm kind of with you on this..

          The key purchasing incentive has to be which one is fully hacked first.

          Most likely that's going to be Sony as their stack is similar to Linux...

      2. TheVogon
        Mushroom

        Re: Yeah.. I'm kind of with you on this..

        If you are that paranoid, just point the Kinect at the wall ffs....

    3. Amorous Cowherder
      Facepalm

      You know why it's called "One"? Well at the moment we all use the last bit of a consoles name, PS3 ( not Sony PS3 ), we say "360" ( not Xbox 360 ), see where this is going? Yep some arsehole marketer knows the hipsters and tosspots are going to call it...."THE ONE CONSOLE"!

      "Yeah right, they just released XYZ on the 'ONE' console."

      Yep, those ad-men think it will be really cool for tosspots to call it "the one" all the time, as in the one and only console there is!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Nope

        So far I have seen "X1" and "Xbone" used more often than Xbox One in discussions. I suspect the popular choice will be X1, although the term "Xbone" does have the advantage of reminding me somewhat of a pirate flag.

        1. Atonnis

          Re: Nope

          I thought xbo was a reasonable choice...

    4. N13L5
      Coffee/keyboard

      It is fuggly as hell

      Who is doing product design at the Xbox department?

      Must have been someone who's hibernated under a rock for decades...

  3. Annihilator
    Black Helicopters

    "Microsoft’s Skynet-like sentinel is apparently so advanced it can “see your heart beat”, a feature, surely, only really useful if it’ll dial 999 upon detecting an over-extended player suffering myocardial infarction."

    Nope, it clearly exists to allow confirmation of a subject's successful termination. The dystopian future is now!

    1. M7S
      Big Brother

      @ Annihilator

      It will also then delete the account and purchases so there's no "piracy by inheritance" going on.

  4. Shrimpling

    Meh

    Oculus Rift is more exciting to me than any of the announced features of either console.

    If either decide to support Oculus Rift then that will be my choice otherwise it looks like I will end up leaving consoles for PC gaming.

    1. Thomas 4

      Re: Meh

      Now that's something I'm looking forward to - CCP did a really cool tech demo of how it might be used in EVE Online for a fighter pilot system.

  5. Piro Silver badge

    Xbox One

    Crap name, weak compared to the PS4. This time it's easy to compare. Same architecture, same company that makes the GPU/CPU. They have a significantly weaker GPU and slower RAM. PS4 is up to the classic aspirational standards of a powerful home console, and Sony are on the backfoot this time, so they don't want to piss consumers off. Seems to me you'll only receive the cold, unflinching shaft of Microsoft if you get an Xbox One. Oh, and a ton of cynical "media" and "social" related shite. No, I don't watch broadcast TV, no, I don't currently pay for any streaming services. Even if I did, my internet connection is piss-poor.

    Disclaimer: I don't own a PS3. I have an Xbox 360 (on my third, thank you, RRoD).

    Sony: make the new Gran Turismo breathtaking in every way, and on the PS4. I have no interest in going back to buy an obsolete machine, and I currently love Forza. I don't want to have to buy an Xbox One just because Forza is the best racing series over all.

    1. TheVogon
      Mushroom

      Re: Xbox One

      That's too simplistic a view. Xbox ONE has a very fast SDRAM cache on the GPU, and the PS4 RAM has a very high latency....Plus Microsoft's Direct-X libraries have years of optimisation behind them.

      Just look at the PS3 / Xbox 360 - the PS3 was claimed to have 50% more CPU power, but the Xbox has the best graphics in most cases....

      1. Paul Shirley

        Re: Xbox One

        That RAM latency has little effect on most functional units, either because they feed on streams (GPU) or have internal caches (CPU). That latency issue has been getting data from core to core and historically getting it into the right chunk of RAM. Unified RAM removes half the problem while fast core<->RAM streaming simplifies everything.

        PS4 has an advantage here because it's simpler with no accelerated transfer systems to deal with. It's going to have less bottlenecks and more predictable behaviour. And it really doesn't hurt that not pissing away transistors on ESRAM let them build in more cores!

        Given that both systems seem to have broadly comparable basic hardware, I'll expect better gaming performance on the one with more cores. The PS4 looks like it will outperform even high end PCs for most of it's life, not convinced the Xbone will.

      2. Piro Silver badge

        Re: Xbox One

        No, the reality is that anyone sensible could see the PS3 was going to be worse off compared to the Xbox 360, that's never been an argument.

        256MB for the GPU and 256MB for the system vs 512MB unified in the 360 was a bad start..

        Then 3x PowerPC cores vs 1 in the PS3, then a cluster of simplistic units that aren't general purpose.

        The GPU in the PS3 was also a cobbled together midrange nvidia card of the time, whereas the Xbox 360's GPU was the first fully programmable Radeon card, if I recall correctly, with a 10MB buffer on package.

        It was clear the Xbox 360 was going to be the easier console to get the best results from.

        This time, it's even clearer that the PlayStation 4 is simply ahead. You cannot ignore the gap in GPU performance. We're talking Radeon 7700+ vs 7850+

      3. Greg J Preece

        Re: Xbox One

        Just look at the PS3 / Xbox 360 - the PS3 was claimed to have 50% more CPU power, but the Xbox has the best graphics in most cases....

        Not sure where you're getting that from. I've never seen anything on the 360 that comes close to some of the PS3 exclusives. In fact, there are several games I can name that aren't on the 360 simply because it couldn't cope - the inFamous series, for one. It's not an exclusive because they have some kind of deal with Sony; it's because the X-box can't handle the game. Sucker Punch even said so.

    2. the spectacularly refined chap

      Re: Xbox One

      This time it's easy to compare. Same architecture, same company that makes the GPU/CPU. They have a significantly weaker GPU and slower RAM.

      These kind of comparisons are simplistic at best if the question is how successful they are going to be. If you look at the previous generation of consoles in the same way there's no question that the PS3 is the most powerful unit from MS, Sony and Nintendo. The Wii was woefully underpowered in comparison. The PS3 always struggled, especially at first, whereas the Wii was a surprise hit.

      1. jason 7
        Meh

        Re: Xbox One

        Doesnt matter which is the more powerful as the developers will build their cross platforms to the lowest powered machine anyway.

        Its only in the dwindling number of exclusives that it matters a bit.

        How many companies nowadays can afford to develop a game for just one console unless Sony or MS are paying for all of it?

  6. Toxteth O'Gravy

    Not impressed

    Even more fugly than previous Xboxes and full of extra crap I don't want or need.

    More to the point, Destiny, the only game I'm looking forward to playing, will run on my 360 anyway.

    I'll pass, I think.

  7. James 51

    I don't want or need a kinect, even if it will work in a narrow, noisy room. My two year old can already reek havoc with various remotes but at least I can put them out of his reach. Now, I won't even have that option. (BTW, is no one else worked that this is just a massive invasion of privacy just waiting to happen?) I can't wait for reports about kids fighting over getting it to do stuff.

    Don't need the internet for it to work but won't work unless it can phone home, I have an excellent connection but get lots of interface meaning that it drops out a lot so this is another reason not to bother.

    As for the used games, I only buy used games. If they try to mess around with this I won't be buying one even if they sort the everything else out.

    How can they not have already confirmed streaming services like lovefilm?

    I can understand disks not working but for arcade games, surely a recompile would allow most games to work? There's always emulation (or is this just a way to shaft players so they need to buy everything twice?).

    No mention about ripping dvds to store on the hdd. That would be a big plus. Or even allowing an external HDD to be connected by USB to do the same.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      So if Microsoft had released a stripped down but graphically better XBox you think everyone would have been happy?

      Stuff you don't want is stuff others do want. It's like Word, there's tons of crap you don't need but that's stuff other people want. This is how you please most of the people.

      1. James 51

        There's no reason to force the kinect on users beyond microsoft repeating the mistakes it made with windows 8. It bumps up the cost of the console and if you don't want it tough, it has to be plugged in for the console to work even if you never use it.

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  9. Mr Anonymous

    Nah

    I can buy a capable but descrete media stremer with social guf for 75 quid, why would a buy this?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Nah

      Because you get software updates, support, games, blu-ray and you can control it with gestures.

      I have about 4 remotes already, what many people want it all of their functionality integrated into one unit so they have one remote.

      1. Shonko Kid
        Joke

        "and you can control it with gestures."

        There's only One gesture I see this thing getting.

      2. Paw Bokenfohr
        Stop

        Re: Nah

        I had more than 4 remotes. That's what Harmony and Pronto remotes are for:

        http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/harmony-remotes

    2. Paul Westerman
      FAIL

      Re: Nah

      Yeah, I've got Ker-Plunk at home, why would I want this?

  10. Ragarath
    WTF?

    Morphing more and more into PC's

    So basically, these things are not gaming consoles any more and are just becoming more and more like general purpose computing devices (AKA a PC.)

    The last generation (not Wii) made me contemplate what the point is of owning both and this has just compounded my conclusion that a PC is all you need.

    All the 'it is a dedicated gaming machine' arguments can stop right there, it no longer is that. My PC is optimised for playing games and yes it is dedicated to it when I play them because I am not trying to do other things when I am blasting away.

    Oh and the last bit, when my graphics card starts to struggle with the newer games, I'll just pop in a new card and not have to wait 5 years to upgrade to the latest standards.

    1. dogged
      Boffin

      Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

      while I take your point entirely, the thing about consoles is that, as a developer, you know exactly where the target is. You don't have dick about with whether the user has a decent GPU or is going to bitch that his nice shiny Ultrabook with Intel's excuse for gfx onboard won't run it at over 8fps. You don't have to aim low on memory requirements. You know exactly what the sound output is and how the controllers work. Nobody is going to demand to remap the controls for their Logitech macro-able cheat-like-fuck keyboard. In short, you can optimize the holy hell out of everything because you have a static target.

      How old is the 360 now? And how good does, for example, Assassin's Creed 3 look on it? Yet the hardware is basically obsolete by PC standards. You'd need a PC significantly heftier than a 360 to even consider playing it but when the hardware is fixed, you can work miracles.

      If this thing or the PS4 goes for £400 or less, it's cheaper than a current best-of-breed GPU. And it will last you approximately five times as long.

      All things considered, that's not bad.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Ragarath

        Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

        while I take your point entirely, the thing about consoles is that, as a developer, you know exactly where the target is. You don't have dick about with whether the user has a decent GPU or is going to bitch that his nice shiny Ultrabook with Intel's excuse for gfx onboard won't run it at over 8fps. You don't have to aim low on memory requirements. You know exactly what the sound output is and how the controllers work. Nobody is going to demand to remap the controls for their Logitech macro-able cheat-like-fuck keyboard. In short, you can optimize the holy hell out of everything because you have a static target.

        While I get this entirely you have not considered several points. If they are creating a PC version anyway having two code bases for the same hardware kind of makes the point about optimisation useless. Companies can optimise for a PC, it's called listing requirements for the game. This has only been happening since I had my Acorn Electron so it is not something new that people have to learn. And comeon how hard is it to code this:

        Normal input to jump = space. This is coded somewhere let me see this can even be and usually is some form of text file. User changes space to another key. Change that part of file. Really, is it hard? Sound output and controllers are mapped by the OS, all you have to do is ask the OS. Same as the Xbox One will require of developers for additional hardware.

        How old is the 360 now? And how good does, for example, Assassin's Creed 3 look on it? Yet the hardware is basically obsolete by PC standards. You'd need a PC significantly heftier than a 360 to even consider playing it but when the hardware is fixed, you can work miracles.

        The game looks as good as I can get on old hardware on a PC. I have not used the latest £400 GC since I were a lad. It is not needed now-a-days 2nd or 3rd generation back are ample for most games. And there is little need to upgrade the CPU now as they are all so fast anyway.

        If this thing or the PS4 goes for £400 or less, it's cheaper than a current best-of-breed GPU. And it will last you approximately five times as long.

        The GPU will last you easily that long with the same graphics (or better) there is no requirement to upgrade, but the option is there.

        I really get why your coming from but you just used the argument I said was obsolete now, that it is a dedicated machine. It is not, it is commodity hardware put in a box but that you cannot change.

        1. dogged

          Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

          Any company that released a game that insisted on a particular motherboard, a specific chip from a specific company, a specific graphics card - nope, a cheaper, more expensive or upgraded version will not do - a specific blu-ray drive with known spin-rates and the equivalent of a VPN to a dedicated gaming network would be laughed out of business in days and you know it.

          A console provides absolutely this certainty. This certainty is what breeds performance and longevity.

          A PC is great for gaming - I game on mine when I have time, which is admittedly rare - but a console has advantages in the consumer market that no PC will ever come close to.

          1. Ragarath

            Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

            Any company that released a game that insisted on a particular motherboard, a specific chip from a specific company, a specific graphics card - nope, a cheaper, more expensive or upgraded version will not do - a specific blu-ray drive with known spin-rates and the equivalent of a VPN to a dedicated gaming network would be laughed out of business in days and you know it.

            Why are you worried about that? That is the job of the OS not the person writing the game. If they are writing the game for the motherboard ability I would be worried! The OS is supposed to abstract that from the developer, the game is written to the APIs. So you know the card does not support a certain type of shader, great you don't have to code that but if you want it on a system that does (they will) it needs to be coded anyway.

            If this is not the job of the OS then why is it there in the first place? Am I missing something and are the people coding the games actually writing for every bit of hardware directly and do not need an OS?

            I am not trying to be stubborn here, I am not in the industry of making games so do not have any direct experience so please enlighten me if they are writing directly for hardware and not APIs.

            1. dogged

              Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

              Oh, you write for APIs but APIs aren't magical. They depend mainly on drivers and driver functionality.

              See, if I'm writing a game using DirectX then I only address DirectX. But DirectX is heavily optimized for the 360 as it stands now. It is, after all, still a DirectXBox.

              DX is less optimized for every single graphics card in the entire world because duh. Different cards support the API in different ways and each has their own little niggles. Does it work? Sure. But how well it works depends on AMD, NVidia and Intel and, more specifically, the people who write their drivers which are updated approximately every other week, as opposed to the static optimized drivers in the XBox firmware.

              1. This post has been deleted by its author

              2. Ragarath

                Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

                So your writing for APIs then you still know what you are writing for yes?

                Now I am confused. You said in a previous comment that you have known hardware to make it easier to write for. But have just said you write for APIs.

                DirectX is not less optimised for every single graphics card. It is the opposite way around. If the card does not support a function of DirectX then that is the cards fault and not that of DX.

                Does it work? Sure. But how well it works depends on AMD, NVidia and Intel

                Lastly, do you think the likes of AMD and Nvidia are making cards that do not use the functionality they say they are? Drivers on the PC are continually made better (and I am sure the XBox ones will get updates) and the cards will state they support X and Y.

                We will I am afraid have to agree to disagree on this matter.

                1. dogged

                  Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

                  So your writing for APIs then you still know what you are writing for yes?

                  Now I am confused. You said in a previous comment that you have known hardware to make it easier to write for. But have just said you write for APIs.

                  You do. But an API cannot magically give you 8 GB of RAM or force you to use 1910x1080. It cannot magically produce Catalyst drivers that don't crash. It can't produce GeForce drivers that don't conflict with your RealTek sound drivers (insert teeth grinding here). It won't force you to install somewhere on your C drive or even assume that you HAVE a C drive.

                  A console guarantees the target. A PC never will without causing massive nerdrage.

                  Why are you having such a hard time with this concept?

                  1. Ragarath

                    Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

                    I am still confused because you seem to be ignoring parts of my comments you do not want to hear.

                    I said previously all you have to do is list "requirements" on your game and voila! Guaranteed target. Why do you care if someone cannot get their PC to work because of conflicting drivers? Why do you care if they are trying to play it with the less than stated on the requirements 8GB of RAM? Viewport size is the same.

                    These problems are for the gamer. All the xbox does here is abstract that from the gamer making it more friendly to people that do not want to know about that. All this is fine but a standard shipped PC from say Alienware or Lenovo does exactly the same thing. Which is what my original comment is about, consoles are just PCs.

                    1. MrPatrick

                      Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

                      You are completely missing the point.

                      You list requirements for a PC, but you can't specify exact components, so you can optimse for those components. API calls are a 'generalised' way og accessing hardware.

                      The way an Intel i7 works is different to the way that an AMD Opteron works.

                      Yes they both respond in similar ways to 'call X' to 'API 13', but not identically.

                      With fixed hardware (console) a developer knows that the user has a specific device, and they can tune their game to work to best to that. Look at the first games on the PS1 and compare to the last games.

                      The difference in quality is amazing.

                      As an example. PS2 emulated PS1, in that it simulated all the API's available on the PS1. However you load up a later game on the PS2 (eg Rollcage Stage II) and it will barely work. This is because the game, designed for PS1, was using code that used the PS1 hardware in a way that was beyond the simple use of API calls.

                      This is simply an example.

                      The point being that on a console you don't have to support the slight but significant variations of the hardware.

                      If you tried to run PC Skyrim on a pair of SLi'd Nvidia 7850x's (which i believe is a pretty close approximation of the GPU in a PS3) it would be shite. On the PS3 however it still looks great. This is because the developers of Skyrim knew the exact specs of the system it would be running on and could optimse accordingly.

                      Its got nothing to to do with a gamer having (for example) specific conflict, that was a slightly misleading example on the previous post. Its got everything to do with knowing exactly how a certain system call will respond and you don't get that certainty with Windows OS level API calls.

        2. This post has been deleted by its author

      3. David 138
        Mushroom

        Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

        Skyrim on PC looks 100 times better even on a lower spec machine, GTA 3 looks 100x better. Most games look alot better on the PC if a developer can be bothered to develop. Consoles age badly but you don't notice until you have them side by side. Assasins Creed is average graphics but would have looked amazing if it was PC only.

        Lets also not forget that the PCs will also run alot of old games :) and when i upgrade above both consoles i will still be running those old games if i want to.

        Consoles also dumb down and ruin games. AVP was amazing 10 years ago, and the new version sucked. Why? because the aliens where slow and retarded because you cant aim quickly on a console.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

      So what they really should be is highly fixed, un-upgradeable devices that can't have their functionality expanded in any way?

      You want a Dumb Console not a Smart Console?

      If you want a phone that is great as a phone would you ditch the apps and get a mono screen Nokia from the 1990s? maybe, but you would be losing out on a lot in the process.

    3. Daniel B.
      Boffin

      Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

      I consider this generation to be the one where the ki'box (Stephen King reference) and the PSX lines are truly morphing into overpriced PCs.

      I do get the differentiation between consoles and PCs as a gaming platform, but it used to be that the console hardware was running stuff that let them get better performance for games. That has mostly gone from the new gen, as they're going to be basically crap PCs, kinda like the original Xbox. Ironically, the underspecced Wii was the underdog on the current gen, while the WiiU will be the only one that isn't an overpriced PC this gen.

      However, I'm still probably going to buy a PS4, even if it is a glorified PC...

    4. thecapsaicinkid

      Re: Morphing more and more into PC's

      You've essentially bolted a console (your video card) onto something most definitely not optimised to play games, i.e the PC architecture.

  11. Gary F
    Thumb Up

    Kinect 1.0 is technically very impressive. Kinect 2.0 will be awesome. The new console's design is terrible, very boxy, but that's so surprise when it's name is xBOX. However, it does allow it to be stacked with other AV units you might have under your TV.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Stop

      Impressive bult ultimately useless.

      Unless you are the type of person that likes Kinect Star Wars.

      Otherwise, it's an impressive gimmick.

      1. dogged

        Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

        it's an impressive gimmick.

        Barry, you used to say it was unusable shit. Repeatedly. I see you've mellowed since your employer Sony decided to copy the idea.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          FAIL

          Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

          @dogged

          You might have spotted, not only did the PS3 predate Kinect, it also predated the Wii-Mote by 4 years.

          The only people copying, were of course Nintendo and Microsoft. Anyone that thinks otherwise is a brainwashed idiot. Go and google the Sony tech demo from the PS2 era of the Move...

        2. TheVogon
          Mushroom

          Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

          When did Sony copy Kinect then?

          The Sony glow-in-the-dark Dildo is a rip off of the Wi-Mote. Nothing like, or as capable or accurate as Kinect.

          1. MJI Silver badge

            Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

            Aghh Move and Wii started off at similar times, seperate developements not copying each other, Nintendos success just encouraged Sony to release it.

            As to lack of accuracy, rubbish, why is Move so good in a first person shooter?

            Lets compare Blackwater with Killzone 3 then, two FPS with motion controls, which one was terrible and which one was good?

          2. dogged

            Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

            When did Sony copy Kinect then?

            Their version is announced as a PS4 accessory.

          3. Anonymous Coward
            FAIL

            Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

            "When did Sony copy Kinect then?"

            Last generation. It was called Eye Toy. It was fun, it worked, it was ALOT cheaper than Kinect but ultimately showed the limitations of controller-less gaming. That didn't stop Microsoft copying it this generation thou and making alot of money out of clueless idiots that fell for the hype.

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot-YgCBD5FA

            Quite clearly bundling Kinect with the new Xbox is a bad idea, as there is not one single game that has launched for the current Kinect that would convince even the biggest Xbox fanboy that it adds to games.

            It's more likely being bundled for Microsoft's advertising and licenses patents

            (recognizing logos and using that for targeted advertising, and charging movies per person viewing).

            1. dogged
              Stop

              Re: Impressive bult ultimately useless.

              Last generation. It was called Eye Toy

              Next generation and it's called the Lightbar. It is effectively a beta-release Kinect in an uglier box.

    2. Rob Moir

      It *is* impressive, imho and there's some clever stuff being done by people who are 'hacking' the kinect tech into other things.

      But as a console add-on, it solves a problem that no one appears to actually have. If I want to take exercise then I'd rather do so outside in the fresh air. If I want to dance I'd rather go to a nightclub (not that i want to do either, these days, but still...).

  12. Miek
    Coat

    "it’s the only “one” device you’ll need in your lounge" -- More like, the only "one" device I don't need in my lounge.

    1. dogged

      Either you didn't think that through OR you need a particle accelerator and a ride-on lawnmower among many other devices in your lounge, which indicates a rather odd lifestyle.

  13. MJI Silver badge

    Already decided.

    I haven't yet seen anything about the XB1 that makes me want it over a PS4.

    No live game demos?

    Why not?

    1. Atonnis

      Re: Already decided.

      Easy Answer - the game developers/distributors have invested a shitload of cash into big displays and preparations for E3, and they don't want Microsoft stealing their thunder and claiming the credit for all of their hard work and expense.

  14. PassiveSmoking
    Thumb Up

    Harvey Eagles? What a freaking awesome name!

    Way more exciting than XBox One at any rate.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I am EARGERLY awaiting PS3 The Last of Us.

    I don't give a crap about Microsoft's new DRM-Box One...

    http://www.computerandvideogames.com/407912/microsoft-confirms-pre-owned-fee-for-xbox-one/

  16. Frankee Llonnygog

    Bite the bullet, Microsoft

    If this is really the One box to rule my living room, it needs seamless integration with iOS and Android devices, Airplay, Google Access All thingummies, and so on.

    You know, that stuff your potential customers already own

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bite the bullet, Microsoft

      Airplay is proprietary. I'm pretty sure it will do DNLA?

      Look up Microsoft smartglass, there's clients for iOS, Android and WP8.

      1. Frankee Llonnygog

        Re: Bite the bullet, Microsoft

        Airplay is proprietary - and you can license it. Someone who'd splurged £400 on a B&W Zeppelin might be quite pleased if it worked with their xBox

  17. Pypes

    Unless....

    Sony makes the console explode when you insert a used game, I can't see microsoft winning out this time.

    The reveal seemed very much along the lines of "Yeah bro, you guys like Cowadoody and Football right?!, well now you can do both, at the same time!"

    "Not always online" became "Not technically always online, but that's pretty much how it's going to work"

    "We won't block used games" became "We will block used games, until to explicitly transfer the licence through our service"

    Maybe football and pew-pew shootan it enough to sell to the domestic market, but as a gamer I'm looking longingly at Japan and praying for some nice new IP on a beefy console that doesn't try and nickle and dime me in my own house.

    1. Thomas 4
      Thumb Up

      Re: Unless....

      I have total faith in Sony to accomplish that.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Unless....

      Given their track record I'd say this was highly likely. Why would developers develop for the PS4 and lose the earning potential of a levy on used games? they would want consistency across both platforms.

      1. Pypes

        Re: Unless....

        Because not having a product on the market is going to lose you a hell of a lot more sales than selling one and having kids trading it in for credit against the sequel.....

  18. Smallbrainfield
    Coat

    Late result.

    Playstation 4 = X-Box 1

    1. Piro Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Late result.

      Absolutely brilliant.

  19. Randombard
    Paris Hilton

    New controllers needed

    According to PC world (always reliable), you wont be able to use any of your current peripherals either. so all those Rock Band kits and extra controllers will be useless, even though you can use them with your PC.

    Just feels like an unnecessary kick in the balls to me.

    1. markw:

      Re: New controllers needed

      "Kick in the balls..."

      That's entertainment. That's entertainment...

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Devil

        Re: New controllers needed

        That's entertainment. That's entertainment...

        You now picture a well-dressed Danny deVito on the Microsoft board saying that.

  20. Irongut

    Pointless features

    "Surely anyone can see a use for being able to access the internet while watching TV, and even more so given the process is voice-driven."

    Not really and how does it react to say a Glaswegian accent? Geordie? Brummie? etc

    "watching Game of Thrones with an extra dose of images and information seems interesting"

    No it doesn't. It seems like a pointless way to be distracted from the program you claim to be waching. If you want to go surf some fan site wait till you've finished watching the program. Or doesn't your ADD allow that? And what about other people in the room? Why force them to look at your Sean Bean pr0n while they're trying to watch TV?

    1. Ninetailed

      Re: Pointless features

      I'll start practising my "yelling American" impression.

      1. The Nazz

        re yelling American.

        "IN THE HOLE", as any fool golf fan knows.

        Still, with most modern pron*, it retains a slight air of mystery.

        * according to my mate.

  21. Goffee
    Mushroom

    Apple's TV gonzo project up the spout?

    Wow, an MS exec is saying Microsoft hopes to sell 400 million to a billion of these things (http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/apples-road-to-wwdc-2013-ios-7-iphone-5s-and-icloud-021049.php) , that could put a crimp in Apple's hopes for iTV (dongle, HDTV, whatever) project...

  22. h3
    Go

    I have no interest in this.

    I won't buy anything by Sony (Contempt for customers) so I guess I will get a wii u eventually but I am not in a rush.

    I will upgrade my PC so it is faster than a PS4 in every way and probably get a wired new 360 controller. Maybe I would get one of these if it is far cheaper and the games were at steam like prices. I won't get a PS4 no matter what.

    I would rather have something like modern neo geo working at 1920x1080 and using cartridges. Playing what is in the arcade's in Asia at the moment where they still exist exactly the same as it is there.

    There is no reason at all that XNA games couldn't be made to work with this with an extremely trivial amount of effort.

    Also I hate cutscenes (Unskippable even worse most games seem to think when you start playing them you want to watch a boring 10m long cutscene.)

    Most important thing for me is Super Tight Controls (Don't mind dying if it is fairly obvious it is my fault hate crappy controls). Start every game quite hard then make it slightly harder bit by bit to the end. No tutorials. Don't really care about graphics. Don't want RPG elements into arcade style games. Don't mind an RPG but as a seperate game not just slowing other types of games down. No graphical artifacts what so ever. (Much more important than how fancy they are).

    There is no reason to go for a 500GB standard HDD when they could just use 64GB cartridges quite cheaply.

    Only reason console games were more expensive was because of the higher costs of cartridges. If they want to justify their prices they should do so by increasing their costs.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      The 80's / Early 90's are calling. They asked that you please get back in your time machine and return home.

      I believe you may have already caused a ripple in the space time continuum.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Sony Root Kits

        I believe it was as recently as 2007 that Sony decided to root kit circa 22 million of it's customers - and lets not forget last years fiasco of putting all their PSN user data on an internet facing LAMP stack, which was predictably hacked, and their customer data distributed across the internets....followed by weeks of PSN downtime whilst they replaced it with something more secure...

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The future of gaming lies elsewhere IMHO...

    Maybe its with Valve, or maybe its with something we haven't seen yet. But I'm convinced the big console players with their blockbuster titles are throttling creativity. I'm still hoping Watch Dogs or GTA V brings surprises of course. Meantime I've been baffled at how little new innovation has been in the Halo, Hitman, Far Cry, Forza or COD series. They just keeping pushing out the same bland brands. This past year has been filled with gaming hype IMHO. Here's 7 reasons why :-

    #1. I've returned every Call of Duty since COD4. Are recent COD multiplayer offerings really better than COD4 for PC with the free downloadable usermaps?

    #2. Bioshock Infinite was pretty but it was on a rail the entire time, constantly reloading when you walked around a corner. The player had zero interactivity with the world's residents and maneuvering in the sky world was cumbersome, confusing and not nearly as immersive as the trailer.

    #3. For open world driving, Forza Horizon was a definite step backwards when compared with Driver-SF!

    #4. Halo 4 multiplayer maps had few surprises except maybe the asteroid. I still love the desert sandy maps of Halo 3.

    #5. Far Cry 3 multiplayer was flawed. For some the single-player story was too. I for one got bored after I rescued the girl to the cave. The game had little to keep me interested after that. Overall I truly hated having to hunt. Why couldn't I find the bags, wallets, rucksacks etc I needed to carry bullets & guns by taking over outposts?

    #6. Dishonored had some nice Hitman Blood-Money choice of playing styles. But the cityscape was bland and repetitive when compared to the world of Bioshock Infinite.

    #7. Hitman Absolution was on a rail, and used infuriating QTR gameplay and cut scenes for the final kill! I had hoped they would have added driving and more open-world action. It was a step backwards, especially as you can play Bloody Money for free now after watching a short ad.

    1. A. Coatsworth Silver badge
      Unhappy

      Re: The future of gaming lies elsewhere IMHO...

      I just had a taste of the future of gaming last weekend... and it was horrible.

      It all started when I finally got my hands on Starcraft 2. After the install, which took the best part of 1 hour, including some obscure "optimizing", it decided it needed to download a patch. Sounded fine, until I found out it was a 7.8 GB patch... uhmmm.... The DVD sitting inside my dvdrom was not enough storage? Anyway after 3 days downloading (in this little country where I live, the normal internet connection is not more than 1 mbps) I finally got the game to start... and then it didn't want to recognize the game code I had already set up with my battlenet account. That was one more day in order to get it fixed. Bottom line: I needed 5 days just to get the game to actually let me play. Marvelous, just marvelous.

      In the meantime, I started playing Modern Warfare 3 on my PS3. Graphics were impressive, and the plot was interesting enough, but that was not a game: It was a nice movie were they left me interact in certain scenes with my controller, but I failed mission after mission for not doing tasks in the exact way and the exact time the developer wanted me to. Want to take a moment to admire the scenery of a battle-torn NY? though luck, your teammates took the boat and left you behind. Want to try and pick a fight with those enemies? No dice, your AI mate was killed because you weren't stealthy enough.

      And it wasn't even a long movie at that: The campaign mode took me barely 6 hours to finish. And I payed full price for that? The disc is barely more than an expansion set for the online multiplayer, which I am unable to play (see internet connection above).

      If PC and console gaming are moving this way, I think this was my last generation as a game enthusiast (I'll leave the term "gamer" for more dedicated people)... I'll just live off the memories I can get on my Wii's Virtual Console and with the PS2 games rehashed in HD for the PS3, for as long as those consoles manage to continue alive.

      </rant>

      1. MJI Silver badge

        Re: The future of gaming lies elsewhere IMHO... Coatsworth

        You have a PS3, go and play the Uncharted series then come back and moan!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: The future of gaming lies elsewhere IMHO... Coatsworth

          Anyone can be a smug git MJI. Why don't you take the time to tell non-PS3 owners what makes Uncharted so good? I note, the last release got mixed reviews. Is it open world or linear on a rail?

          1. MJI Silver badge

            Re: The future of gaming lies elsewhere IMHO... Coatsworth

            Neither, you play through it like a film or a story, nothing wrong with the idea, NDi just does it so well.

            They are just great games which you remember long after you have played them.

            The start of UC2 is one of the best starts to a game ever.

            If someone says there are no good PS3 games I am going to mention the Uncharted series.

  24. Richard 31
    Paris Hilton

    Always on, and ending

    What always concerns me about this always on bollocks is not necessasarily the being online part.

    What happens when they decide supporting the console once it is no longer economically viable? You can bet they will drop the Xbox One the second that is true.

    Some of us like playing ancient games, i still occasionally dig out old stuff for a quick blast about. I don't want to be dicking about with any fake auth servers or anything like that.

  25. Kazriko Redclaw
    FAIL

    Emulation, harder than you think.

    The technology just isn't there to emulate a 3.2ghz 3-core processor on top of a 1.8ghz 8 core processor. XBLA games are using the hardware of the 360 just as much as any disc based game. The only type of game that could work seamlessly on the new console would be XBLIG games because they're already running on a virtual machine with a JIT compiler, but XNA has been abandoned by MS, so that isn't going to happen.

    Rule of thumb with emulation is that your system needs to have a total instructions per second rating at least 10x what the system you're emulating does. The new consoles are nowhere near that, getting most of their speed boost from smarter design and advanced CPU features rather than raw instructions per second.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Emulation, harder than you think.

      Backwards compatibility would be done via dynamic recompilation, not emulation.

      Dynamically recompiled code tends to be somewhat slower than the native code. And I already wonder if the 1.6ghz cores of the XBox One will perform better than the 3.2ghz cores of the XBox 360 anyway. Then again, the graphics should be faster by a big enough margin that the CPUs will have more time to run the code...

  26. sisk

    Deal breaker

    This nonsense of having to buy a license on pre-owned games is a deal breaker for me. Unless the person who bought it previously gets to continue playing it after I've bought (which, really, would be an even dumber move on Microsoft's part in my opinion) I would view that as an abusive business practice. You don't get to sell the same disc over and over again. That's just pure greed.

    Then again, who the hell has time to sit and play games anymore, and who would want to join in to the fight between the mini-mes for the TV even if I did?

    1. The_Regulator

      +1 on having time for gaming any more. I get time for some mw3 online shooting but don't have time for more than one game (would rather be good at one than shitty on a bunch of games)

      Regarding used games I wonder if prices will change due to having to pay MSFT license. That could be used somehow to pay for the difference or maybe resellers could somehow provide licensing codes. Probably far fetched but crossed my mind.

    2. TheVogon
      Mushroom

      Re: Deal breaker

      Why not? That's pretty much how Steam works....You buy the license key per install, not the game itself.

      1. sisk

        Re: Deal breaker

        Yes, that is how Steam works (except I think most of the games are per user, not per install), but that's on PC games. PC games provide a far better over all experience than console games (in my opinion, of course). And honestly most games on Steam are less expensive than their console counterparts to begin with (or at least the ones I've looked at, with a few notable exceptions).

  27. MJA
    Thumb Down

    I really didn't like the idea of registering a game to your profile and then MS charging for a new owner to play it. Of course if you want to play at your friend's house you can sign in to your own profile but regardless, it means I can no longer swap games with people to play for a while. For me only very specific scenarios will be affected but it removes my right to do that if I wanted to.

    My biggest hate is how much force they are putting behind the 'media centre' idea. Why then do we need the Xbox to do it? After purchasing an Xbox One, many people will have three different media centres in front of them (TV, Virgin Box, Xbox). Before the Xbox One nobody really used the 'Smart TV' built in to the TV and before that nobody used the one built into the Virgin box. My TV is 'smart' but if I want to watch some Internet TV/Movies then I access it on my laptop and connect to the TV because it never seems to work any other way.

    It will be a very specific audience who use the TV services in the Xbox (ones who don't have a smart TV or subscription TV box) and the vast majority of people will most likely get annoyed by this non game related content. On the other hand, if they removed the Xbox TV content, people who would have used it will just use their PCs to access the same content so nobody loses out! With so many devices hogging bandwidth and conflicting with each other I can't imagine online gaming being too good.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The media side of things is already covered

    By increasingly cheap smart TVs. Yes, that Samsung or LG may be clunky, but when it comes to LoveFilm, Netflix, iPlayer and basic big screen internet access, they do the job. I predict this all singing, all dancing, 'rocket science' device will mostly be used as a game console.

    Like Apple, I think Microsoft have missed the boat in terms of taking over our living rooms.

    1. Down not across
      Facepalm

      Re: The media side of things is already covered

      When Microsoft finally did introduce streaming on 360, they firmly shot themself in the foot by requiring gold subscription to access services that also require their own subscription (ie. Sky, Netflix). Paying for gold subscription for online gaming is one thing, but to expect people to pay Microsoft just to be able to pay to the content provider is rather daft.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Just out of interest..

    Have we had any more information on the Steambox by any chance?

    Just thinking if M$ is draconian as it sounds and $ony fail to wow the disenchanted xbox masses not willing to put up with M$ all new licencing screw, might be the opening Valve or others may need to get a good foot hold..

    1. markd74

      Re: Just out of interest..

      If the xbox masses are planning on jumping to Steambox to avoid 'draconian' measures I suspect they might be a touch disappointed.

  30. Eguro
    FAIL

    Microsoft to consumers: Please attach MS Utters now. Milking to commence shortly

    In recent times the 360 got a redesign. It started to work with the whole squares philosophy of MS. I've grown to not dislike the look. However with these updates also came a clear focus on throwing ads in the user's face at all times.

    Now if I go to the games marketplace, then sure throw some ads at me. I'm presumably there to look for games. Same goes for music/film etc.

    The problem for me was that my homescreen was now also plastered with advertisements. When I'm on my homescreen then presumably I want to do things concerning my xbox, that is: play the game in the console, browse my recent games (a neat feature), perhaps I could see the latest achievement I'd unlocked, which of my friends are online, or suggestions of games that I own, but haven't played in a while. But no - it's just a tiny square for current game, a tiny square for recently played, and 2/3 of the screen for ads.

    Another almost unnoticeable move is the inability to go directly from the home-button menu (the one that pops up when you click the xbox button on the controller) to the games marketplace. You can go to music or film, but to get to the games marketplace you have to swing by the game-main menu to see the ads.

    I see now that this was merely heralding the new times of Xbox. Where the main functionality is advertisements, spying on the person renting the damn thing, and attempting to squeeze as much money out of cowsumers as possible. MS appears to be doing their learning (in game related matters) from EA.

    Presumably the Xbone will come without a few core features which you can unlock for the simple price of your right arm or your first-born daughter.

    TLDR: The poster will not be getting an Xbone!

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Xbox One - paving the way, presumably, for 2020’s Xbox Two.

    The next revision in 2020 is more likely to be called "Xbox One 2.0", or possibly "Xbox One 2020".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Xbox One - paving the way, presumably, for 2020’s Xbox Two.

      Xbox Number Two

  32. Ramazan

    Re: Different cards support the API in different ways

    Both of the "Different cards", fixed that for you.

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sony's response to the Xbox one

    (In between laughing)

    http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ps4-response-to-xbox-one.jpg

  34. Nextweek
    FAIL

    The console makers missed the boat about 3 years ago. Now the smart low power living room is going to take over instead, why run a console and a TV when the TV can do it just as well?

    Consoles should focus on a 3D graphics and 100 person player gaming in HD and leave TV to the TV.

  35. JeffyPooh
    Pint

    Extra things on the screen while watching a movie?

    Reminds me of Taiwan circa mid-1980s. While watching a movie in a huge theatre, the projectionist would slide a handwritten message into the projector so that it was projected along the right hand side of the big screen for all to see (not that i could read it). Somebody would gasp, jump up, grab their coat and run out.

    Yeah, that's what I want to reproduce at home. Taiwanese doctors running through my house, on their way to deliver a baby.

  36. sjsmoto

    I started with a PlayStation because I didn't want to have to deal with video drivers. And I bought a PS2 because it improved the speed and graphics, and was compatible with PS1 games.

    In deciding between PS3 and XBox 360, I chose XBox because I thought I'd make more use of the XBox/PC connectivity. This turned out to be a wash, since only the music part worked ok but I couldn't even get home movie AVIs to stream through the XBox to the tv. And the extra apps offered by Xbox - you have to be a Gold member to use them.

    So, I have no plans to buy a new console, XBox or PS, because it's easier now just to run games on my computer, and wifi videos to the tv.

  37. eJ2095

    Time to get out me Megadrive

    Time to dust off me Megadrive me thinks.....

    Mind then again just grab me emulator out as, CBA to set it up and "Tune" the tv in.

    Games theses days are more like dragons lair of the 80s. You just sit back watch the huge FMV then move again then another huge FMV..

  38. gbru2606

    Favourite use of the word 'One'in business

    My favourite use of the word 'One' in business was on the London Liverpool St. to Enfield Town railway service. Both sides of the platforms at stations all along the line had the word 'One' shouting at you loudly wherever you looked. Even when you were on platform 2 you were surrounded with all these 'one' signs. I don't know if it's still the case?

    As a general rule of thumb, I'd always be suspicious of anyone that uses the word 'one' in business.

  39. msknight

    Gesture control

    I know I am breaking a self-imposed silence here, but I just had to ask those in the know, whether the new Xbox would take being, "flipped the bird" as a command to turn off?

  40. trafalgar
    Thumb Up

    Multi monitor support

    As they are becoming more PC based, I would like to see multi-monitor support from one console box.

    Great for driving games, hooking up 3+ screens or FPS with friends, a screen each!

  41. Dylan Fahey

    Skip all the hype, just don't buy it

    "This is not the console you are looking for"

  42. William Hinshaw

    GOOD going M$ you are going to kill the XBOX line with this crap.

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