Console Articles

Used games are here to stay with Xbox One but details hazy

Fears of a death spiral for used games with the Xbox One may be a little premature.

A Microsoft spokesman confirmed to CNET that Microsoft will support used games with its new console, though it declined to provide much information at this time.

"We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games," the spokesman said. "We'll have more details to share later."

What we do know is that users have to install games from a disc onto the console's hard drive to access the information. Users can then play … Read more

Here's what we know about Xbox One games

The wait is over. Microsoft's new console is called the Xbox One, and it will be a machine that will wear many hats. But what did we learn about the games?

First off, Microsoft tells CNET that the Xbox One will not be backward compatible with any previous Xbox game. Xbox One games will also need to be fully installed, and if the install disc is used on another console, there will be a small fee for doing so. We don't have a lot of the details beyond that, but fears of anti-used-game tactics have officially been realized. … Read more

Xbox 360 games won't work with the Xbox One

Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled its newest gaming console, the Xbox One, with a slew of new capabilities. But one thing it won't do is play Xbox 360 games.

Because the new gaming system has a different chip architecture -- Advanced Micro Devices' x86 instead of IBM's PowerPC -- the Xbox One won't have native compatibility with 360 games. It's unclear at this time whether Microsoft will create a solution for that, such as making some of the more popular games compatible through emulation or allowing users to access older titles through a cloud-streaming system. But it … Read more

Five unanswered questions about the Xbox One

With the pre-E3 announcement of Microsoft's next living room video game console, the parlor game of speculation about all the missing details can begin. As with the Nintendo Wii U and Sony PlayStation 4 before it, the new Xbox's first foray into the public was a carefully choreographed tease, with just enough information to get industry watchers and game fans on the hook for the next step in the long rollout plan.

The following step will no doubt be an expanded preview at the annual E3 video game trade show in June, although even then, important price and … Read more

EA announces Ignite engine for next-gen sports games

Over the years, sports games have become more and more realistic, and EA is promising to take that realism to a whole new level in next-generation versions of many of its popular sports franchises. At Microsoft's unveiling of the Xbox One, Andrew Wilson, the head of EA Sports, announced the company's new Ignite Engine and said that FIFA 14, NBA Live, Madden 25, and UFC would be available for the Xbox One within the next 12 months.

Wilson said that with four times as much processing power to work with, games would feature, "10 times as much … Read more

Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4

Microsoft revealed specs and features for the Xbox One today at an event in Redmond, Wash. This finally gives us a chance to directly compare the new Xbox One with the PlayStation 4.

From the initial specs released from Microsoft and Sony thus far, it would seem that from strictly a specs standpoint, the two are extremely similar, so expect the vast majority of games to look similar across the two platforms.

The buying decision between the two consoles will seemingly come down instead to services and features, such as live TV on the Xbox One.

Check below for the … Read more

Supercharged Xbox Live enhances cloud support for Xbox One

The Xbox One was just announced, and with it, Microsoft unveiled a new Xbox Live. The service will include more capabilities, such as Skype and a dedicated game DVR for capturing in-game footage.

The company also said that users can install games in segments so they can play without waiting for the whole program to install; the system will download and install updates in the background.

Xbox Live will feature native editing and sharing tools for editing players' game footage, letting them upload footage to the cloud, though the amount of storage space available has yet to be specified.

Marc … Read more

Xbox One includes improved Kinect sensor

Today at the Xbox Reveal launch event, Microsoft announced that every new Xbox One would include an improved Kinect controller.

"Kinect is completely redesigned to respond to you, your voice, and your gestures," said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox Live, onstage. "Voice is now more conversational and faster."

One of the innovations touted was Time of Flight technology that accounts for the 13-billionths of a second it takes for photons to reach the camera, in an effort to reduce lag. The system can handle throughput of a lofty 2GB per second.

"This is … Read more

Microsoft adds Skype, live TV to Xbox One

Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled Skype and live TV capabilities for its new game console, the Xbox One.

The company is positioning the new Xbox as an all-in-one entertainment system for the home. Along with gaming, which Microsoft has only briefly addressed, the system also will allow users to watch live TV, make group video calls on the TV via Skype, and search the Web.

"This is the beginning of truly intelligent TV," Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing, strategy and business for Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, said at the company's event Tuesday.

One new feature, … Read more

Xbox One controller gets programmable trigger buttons, design refinements

The newly announced Xbox One is getting a refined controller. It looks a lot like the Xbox 360's controller, with "40 technical and design innovations," according to Microsoft.

Microsoft says developers will be able to program specific types of feedback into the trigger buttons of the new controller. The thought being that the trigger buttons will provide different types of feedback depending on if you're playing a racing game or a first-person shooter.

Gone are the "start" and "back" buttons from the Xbox 360 controller, now replaced with what look to be … Read more