PlayStation-Exclusive Destiny Map Video Helps You Decide PS4/PS3 or Xbox One/360

Are you having trouble deciding whether to get Destiny on a PlayStation or Xbox system? Sony is trying its best to ensure you choose the former, today releasing a video walkthrough for the multiplayer map that is (temporarily) exclusive to the PS3 and PS4 versions.



Described as a "mid-sized" map that works well for both smaller 3v3 matches and full 6v6 matches, the Exodus Blue map is set around the wreckage of the titular Exodus Blue ship. It's playable in the Crucible--the fancy term for competitive multiplayer in Destiny--and supports five modes: Skirmish, Control, Salvage, Clash, and Rumble.

The video provides our best look yet at the full map, which is arguably the most substantial of thePlayStation-exclusive content, provided you're interested in competitive multiplayer. Along with the map, buyers of the PS3 or PS4 versions will also get additional armor and weapons; you can see an overview of all of this in another recent video that Sony released. This content will be exclusive to PS3 and PS4 until at least fall 2015, when it may also be released on Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Destiny launches on September 9 on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. This exclusive content aside, the games are otherwise largely the same, and Bungie says it loves all of its fans--regardless of platform--equally.

If you're buying Destiny, what platform do you plan on getting it for? Let us know in the comments.

Rise of the Tomb Raider Xbox Exclusivity Announcement Didn't Mean to Cause Confusion, Dev Says

Crystal Dynamics says that if there was any confusion about the nature of Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox exclusivity, it wasn't intentional.



If there was any confusion about the nature of Rise of the Tomb Raider's Xbox exclusivity, it wasn't Crystal Dynamics' intention, the developer has said.

In a Rise of the Tomb Raider FAQ posted to the game's official Tumblr, Crystal Dynamics was asked why Microsoft, Square Enix, or Crystal Dynamics itself didn't say upfront that this was a timed exclusive, and why it used indirect language.

"We certainly didn’t intend to cause any confusion with the announcement," Crystal Dynamics said. "The Microsoft Gamescom stage was a great place to make the initial announcement, but not necessarily to go into details."

When it was first announced at Gamescom that Rise of the Tomb Raider was exclusive to Xbox One and Xbox 360 in holiday 2015, there was some question as to whether this was merely a timed exclusive, which would allow the game to come to other platforms sometime following its Xbox debut.

Some fans were angry and upset that they wouldn't be able to play the sequel to 2013's Tomb Raider on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC, but Head of Xbox Phil Spencer eventually announced that the exclusivity won't last forever.

Microsoft and Crystal Dynamics said that the deal will help elevate the Tomb Raider franchise. The deal between Microsoft and Square Enix, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, is a win/win situation, and not an attack on PlayStation fans. Signing Rise of the Tomb Raider as an Xbox-exclusive for next year will also help Microsoft better compete with Sony's 2015 game Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Spencer said at the time.

Warner Bros. Could Bring Xbox TV Back From Dead

It was only a month ago that Microsoft axed its Xbox Entertainment Studios (XES) TV division, as part of company-wide layoffs, but the studio already seems poised to crawl out of its grave. The studio is reportedly shopping for a new home, and could end up being owned by Los Angeles entertainment giant Warner Bros.

These rumblings come by way of The Hollywood Reporter, which claims that the two parties are having preliminary chats about an acquisition. According to THR, Xbox Entertainment would remain a standalone company under WB's ownership. It could potentially be merged with popular YouTube gaming network Machinima, of which Warner owns a chunk.

THR's sources note that talks between the two groups are still in the very early stages, and an acquisition is far from guaranteed.

Xbox head Phil Spencer announced XES' demise last month, noting that the company was looking to "streamline a handful of portfolio and engineering development efforts across Xbox." While this decision all but killed Microsoft's Xbox Originals TV lineup, Spencer confirmed that documentary series Signal to Noise is still being developed. The same is true of both Halo TV shows; the Nightfall series that will ship with The Master Chief Collection game on Xbox One, as well as a standalone Halo show being created alongside developer 343 Industries.

If XES does find a new home, it could mean that previously announced TV shows based on games like Gears of War and Fable may eventually see the light of day. Microsoft still seems committed to Xbox One as an entertainment machine -- a future update will allow you to stream TV from your Xbox to your mobile device -- and the return of Xbox Entertainment could give the console enough TV content to justify these new features.

Major Xbox One update rolls out to preview members

Microsoft has begun rolling out its latest Xbox One update promising a hefty number of new features and enhancements.

The update is making its way to Xbox Live consoles now. However, it's targeted only to people who are part of the Xbox Live preview program, which lets you test out the latest updates ahead of the general Xbox One population. Announced in February, the preview program is available to select Xbox Live subscribers through invitation.

The Xbox One has consistently underperformed Sony's PlayStation 4 in terms of sales, so Microsoft needs to make sure it keeps its console relevant and appealing. Sony on Tuesday said its PlayStation 4 has sold more than 10 million units worldwide since its November 2013 launch. In April, Microsoft announced it had shipped 5 million Xbox One units to retailers but has remained silent on sales figures.

The company has been on a tear to update the Xbox One on a regular basis to make current users happy and potentially draw in additional buyers with the promise of exciting new features.

What can preview members expect in the new update? Microsoft's Xbox Live Chief Larry Hyrb, aka Major Nelson, outlined the following features in his latest blog posted on Friday:

• Parties - The Party App has been re-organized, so you can now see what activities everyone in your party is doing and tell more clearly who is playing in the same game with you. You can also more quickly perform common actions like muting, joining, or sending game invites. Also, Parties now have a Party Leader. This person can change whether the party requires invitations, and she/he can remove others from the party.
• New Friends Section - The new Friends section has been available for a few early access preview members and we're expanding it to additional participants enrolled in the preview program. The new Friends section enables you to see at a glance what's going on with your friends. You can stay up-to-date with your current activities, the most popular games your friends are playing, and a Gamerscore leaderboard to see who has improved their Gamerscore the most over the last 30 days.We'll continue to roll this feature out to all participants in the coming updates.
• Media Player - A new app will be available soon that enables you to play media files from either an attached USB device or from a network connected home media server that supports DLNA protocols. The preview version of the Media Player app will initially only support USB devices, with DLNA support coming soon. Xbox One will support more formats than Xbox 360, including support for dozens of new file formats like mpeg 2 TS, animated gifs, and mkv which will be added by the end of the year. See below for additional file formats.
• Xbox One Digital TV Tuner - Announced last week, this new hardware accessory will enter a limited preview program in Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), in advance of its retail launch beginning in October.
• Stream TV to SmartGlass - Launching first in markets receiving the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner, you will be able to stream your TV across your home network to your smartphones and tablets using the Xbox SmartGlass app. You can also pause, play and rewind as well as change channels, without interrupting gameplay on Xbox One.
• Boot to TV - Now you will be able to set your console to boot directly to television when coming out of connected standby.
• Live TV Miniguide - For markets where OneGuide is available, a new mini guide on the bottom of the screen will display details about the TV content that is currently playing. You can quickly change channels and see what's on other channels, while still watching TV.
• SmartGlass Updates - You can now post status messages from the Activity Feed as well as add comments and share items from both your Activity Feed and from Game Clips. Along with the new comment and share features, a personalized Activity Feed has been added to your profile. Messages have been updated to a new layout supporting a full conversation view. Additionally, we are adding the ability to record game clips directly from the Now Playing bar. Finally, if you upgrade the app directly we have introduced a What's New page highlighting the features of each release.
• "Xbox On" in New Markets - Adding support for additional markets to use the "Xbox On" Kinect voice command to power on consoles: Australia, Canada (French), Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil -- a top used feature.
• Country Expansion - We're doing a lot of work on the back end to prepare for Xbox One to launch in 29 new markets in the coming weeks.
• Multiple GameDVR Deletes - You will be able to choose multiple GameDVR clips to delete at once in the Upload app.
• Save your Avatar Gamerpic - A new option is now available to save Avatar GamerPics to your OneDrive.
• Settings Updates - New options help you manage your controllers and accessories. Also, Instant Sign-In is being moved to Settings, to the Sign-in, security & Passkey area.
• Bandwidth Usage Display - Located in Network Settings under the Troubleshooting column, Bandwidth Usage will show you how much bandwidth your Xbox One is consuming over a period of time. This is useful if you want to track against bandwidth caps set by ISPs in certain markets.

Hyrb called those just "some" of the new features rolling out, so there may be more in store. Okay, so when will all Xbox One users receive this update? After checking out the update, the folks at WP Centralidentified it as the September Update Preview, which means that all Xbox One gamers should see it pop up on their consoles sometime next month.

Rise of the Tomb Raider to be an Xbox exclusive

The next Lara Croft adventure will only be available on Xbox consoles, Microsoft announced today. 

At a press conference ahead of the Gamescom video game event in Cologne, Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrell Gallagher took to the stage to confirm that Rise of the Tomb Raider, follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed reboot of the long-running action adventure series, will be “exclusive to Xbox”. It is not yet clear whether this means Xbox One alone, or Xbox 360, too.

The competition between Sony and Microsoft to control the current console generation is hotting up. PlayStation 4 is slightly ahead with seven million units sold, compared to a reported five million for Xbox One. The two gaming giants are currently competing to secure the best platform exclusives, but usually unless developed by in-house studios, these are merely timed offers, with one console getting key titles or content a few months before the other.

It seems at this point that this is not a timed exclusive – Rise of the Tomb Raider is unlikely to appear on PS4 or PC – at least not for the foreseeable future. The news has prompted a fierce reaction from fans, many of whom have already pre-ordered the game on other platforms. Writing via the Crystal Dynamics Tumblr, Gallagher has sought to reassure the Tomb Raider community:

“Our friends at Microsoft have always seen huge potential in Tomb Raider and have believed in our vision since our first unveil with them on their stage at E3 2011. We know they will get behind this game more than any support we have had from them in the past – we believe this will be a step to really forging the Tomb Raider brand as one of the biggest in gaming, with the help, belief and backing of a major partner like Microsoft.

“This doesn’t mean that we’re walking away from our fans who only play on PlayStation or on PC. Those are great systems, with great partners, and amazing communities. We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4.”

However, there is still some slight ambiguity about whether the deal is for Winter 2015 only. Official Xbox spokesperson Larry Hyrb has simply tweeted: "Just announced… Rise of the Tomb Raider, coming holiday 2015, exclusively on Xbox."

Published by Square Enix, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a considerable coup for Microsoft – even as a timed exclusive. Last year’s Tomb Raider title has now sold around seven million copies and the series is one of the most recognisable brands in the gaming world.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is due out in the Winter of 2015.

Xbox One Digital TV Tuner Coming to Europe

The Xbox One digital TV tuner adapter will be able to pick up free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2, and DVB-C standards. Basically, the new Xbox One digital TV tuner lets users watch these channels without changing inputs. In the same way that it works via HDMI passthrough, you can also pause live TV, use Snap mode, see listings via OneGuide, and receive game notifications.



If you have Kinect, you can make channel selections using your voice. Microsoft's new Xbox One digital TV tuner is similar to Sony's discontinued PlayTV device, which let you watch, pause, and record digital free-to-air TV on a PlayStation 3. Sony has not announced a similar device for the PlayStation 4.

The Xbox One Digital TV tuner will be available beginning late October in the UK for ₤24.99 ($42), and in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain for €29.99 ($40). Microsoft did not say if it plans to release the device in other European regions or in other markets.

Xbox 'Games with Gold' August 2014 preview: Free awesome games for members with Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles

Xbox is definitely putting up a fight when it comes to their free games for members. Many have said that Sony's PS Plus gives away better games, but Microsoft does not agree. For the August selection, Games with Gold members are treated to two awesome free games.

For Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners, there are two games available for download. These are completely free with your Games with Gold subscription.

For the Xbox 360, the game available from August 1 to August 15 is "Motocross Madness," which is priced at $9.99. The other game that will be available from August 16 to August 31 is Bethesda's "Dishonored," which is originally priced at $19.99.

"Motocross Madness" is an off-road motorcycle racing game where players can race in obstacle courses and perform tricks. "Dishonored" is a stealth action game, wherein the player's task is to save the princess, gain control of the empire and doing these undetected. Players will have gadgets, weapons and magical powers.

For the Xbox One, the two games available for the month of August are "Crimson Dragon" and "Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut." Both are priced at $19.99 each. These games will replace "Guacamelee! Super Championship Edition" and "Max: The Curse of the Brotherhood."

"Crimson Dragon" is a game where players control a dragon and fight with enemy life forms. The player can train the dragon and add new skills to it. Meanwhile, the "Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut" is a game where the player joins in fleet battles to save the Earth.

All games are available for a limited time only, so make sure you grab them on time. Once you have the game, you can keep it forever. In addition, all games are free for the Xbox One games. However, you should be an Xbox Live Gold member to be able to download Xbox 360 games for free.

You won't need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to use EA Access

EA Access, the upcoming Xbox One-exclusive subscription plan for a selection of Electronic Arts titles, will not require customers to maintain an active Xbox Live Gold membership, an EA representative confirmed to Polygon today.

"EA Access doesn't require an Xbox Live Gold subscription," said the EA spokesperson. "However, in order to use multiplayer functionality for games in the vault or EA games on Xbox One you'll need a Gold subscription per usual."

Under the EA Access plan, which will be available for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, subscribers would get unlimited access to a library of EA titles as well as other benefits, such as up to five days' worth of pre-release play for titles like Dragon Age: Inquisition. Games with multiplayer functionality that are currently available in the EA Access vault include Battlefield 4 and FIFA 14. An Xbox Live Gold membership costs $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year.

EA partnered with Microsoft to put together EA Access. The program will not be available at this time on PlayStation 4; a Sony representative said in a statement that the company "decided that [EA Access] does not bring the kind of value PlayStation customers have come to expect."

For more on EA Access, check out our opinion pieces discussing the differences between the initiative and a subscription like Netflix, and what the plan means for game ownership.

Xbox Live Free Games With Gold in August

Microsoft has announced which free games will be included in its free Games with Gold on Xbox Live in the month of August. Both the Xbox One and the Xbox will receive two free games for a total of four free games with an Xbox Live Gold membership in August.

The first title announced as a free download starting August 1 is Crimson Dragon on the Xbox One. Released back in November, the game is very much the next sequel to the popular Panzer Dragoon series as both the director and the composer from the Panzer Dragoon series are on board Crimson Dragon. Along with the familiar dragon riding, the rail shooter mechanics stay intact in this game. While riding a dragon, players are able to maneuver it within the confines of the screen, yet the actual path taken through the levels are predetermined. There are six different dragons to ride and each can be leveled up through experience points. Crimson Dragon is usually priced at $19.99.

The second free game announced for the Xbox One will be Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut. Released back in April, this game is a nod to past arcade space shooters. However, unlike past space shooters, players will be dropped into battles larger than the main character can see. Various vehicles are available, yet it is the Strike Suit that will be the main vehicle of choice. The Strike Suit is a transformable mech-suit capable of unleashing large amounts of damage. The Strike Suit takes center stage as players will battle wave after wave of enemies. Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut is usually priced at $19.99.

Both Crimson Dragon and Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut will be available as a free game download starting August 1 with an Xbox Live Gold membership. The Xbox 360 free game downloads will be available between the first and second half of the month, as usual.

The first game announced for the Xbox 360 will be Motocross Madness and will be available to download from August 1 until August 15. Originally released in April of last year, this game is an arcade trick-based racer. Players are able to use their Xbox avatars as they race on various tracks, including those based in Egypt, Australia and Iceland. Each track has plenty of trick opportunities and shortcuts to surpass opponents. The bikes available are upgradable and avatars can gain new attire to wear inside the game. The game features online and offline multiplayer as well plenty of game modes to challenge the player riding solo. Motocross Madness is usually priced at $9.99.

The second game announced for the Xbox 360 will be Dishonored and will be available to download from August 16 until August 31. Originally released in October of 2012, players will take control of an assassin, Carvo Attano, as he takes on missions that can be completed in various ways. The first-person view puts players right in the shoes of Carvo as he determines whether to take out his enemies with weapons firing or in a sneaky, silent manner. A variety of weapons and supernatural powers allows Carvo to complete his missions in a violent or a non-lethal way. The story will then change according to the choices players make. Dishonored is usually priced at $19.99.

One Xbox Live Gold membership can allow a user to download a total of four free games in the month of August across both the Xbox One and the Xbox 360. Games downloaded on the Xbox One will remain free as long as the user’s Gold membership is active. The free games downloaded on the Xbox 360 will remain free once the game is installed to the user’s hard drive.

Xbox One Launching in China Sept. 23

Less than a year after Chinese officials approved rules that allow for the sale of game consoles in the country, Microsoft announced the Sept. 23 launch of its 3,699 yuan ($599) Xbox One.



The upcoming release makes the Xbox One the first console approved for sale in China through the Shanghai Free Trade Zone—a milestone Microsoft marketing vice president Yusuf Mehdi called an honor.

A partnership with E-Home Entertainment's BesTV means Redmond can introduce its Xbox One with a lineup of more than 70 games, as well as hours of movies, sports, documentaries, on-demand TV programs, and more. Free-to-play games join blockbuster titles, like Forza Motorsport 5, which will retail for prices between 99 and 249 yuan.

"We've been working together with Microsoft for more than a year to prepare for the launch of Xbox One and our organizations share a vision for bringing entertainment and gaming innovation to our consumers," Zhang Dashong, senior vice president of Shanghai Media Group and chairman of the board at E-Home Entertainment, said in a statement. "We are excited to start delivering on that promise and are committed to fostering China's original game development."

That original development includes a number of titles not available on any other device in China. Fans will have access to launch-day games like Kinect Sports Rivals, Powerstar Golf, Zoo Tycoon, and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood. More games will follow, including Sunset Overdrive and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Twelve of the world's largest game developers—Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and 2K included—are working to bring some of their best-selling titles to China, where a number of local developers will also lend their talents to the library of Xbox One titles.

"We have made significant investments in China to deliver a tailored Xbox One experience for our fans," Xbox China general manager Enwei Xie said.

Inside every box, consumers will find the Powerstar Golf and Neverwinter Online titles—along with a Special Edition Pack, as well as the BesTV entertainment experience, free access to Xbox Live Gold through March 2015, a localized Chinese interface, translated content, and local payment methods. Plus, a two-year warranty and local customer service support from Microsoft and BesTV is included.
A special Day One limited edition console also comes with Kinect for Xbox One, more games, and other exclusive offers, for 4,299 yuan, while supplies last.

Today's announcement comes just days after Chinese officials showed up unannounced at four Microsoft offices in China, reportedly to investigate antitrust accusations. The disturbance, however, does not appear to have delayed September's console launch.

Once Xbox One sales begin, Redmond intends to stick around China to open two innovation centers, aimed at driving local initiatives in game and app development. With one location set for Shanghai so far, the centers are expected to house some of the world's top innovators looking to accelerate entertainment industry growth in Asia.

The centers will be funded by continuing investments from the local government and Microsoft.

GTA 5 PS4, Xbox One and PC release date tipped for November 7

The GTA 5 release date for Xbox One, PS4 and PC has been tipped by a retailer for November 7. 

UK retailer GameSeek has listed a November 7 release date for the next-gen and PC version of GTA 5, opening up pre-orders for the game ahead of its launch later this year. 

You’re looking at a £44.75 spend for the Xbox One and PS4 editions of GTA 5, while the PC version will set you back £36.75 from GamesSeek. 

Currently, RockStar hasn’t confirmed a launch date for the next-gen/PC version aside from the rather loose autumn launch window. 

“Grand Theft Auto 5 will take full advantage of the power of the PlayStation 4, Xbox On e and PC with across-the-board graphical and technical improvements to deliver a stunning new level of detail”, said RockStar Games when announcing the remastered version. “Increased draw distances, finer texture details, denser traffic and enhanced resolutions all worked together to bring new life to the cities, towns, deserts and oceans or Rockstar North’s epic re-imagining of Southern California.”

Of course, the upgrade also extends to GTA Online too and the revamped version offers all the previously released content for the multiplayer portion of GTA 5. 

Anyone who has already been sinking the hours into GTA Online on Xbox 360 and PS3 will be pleased to hear that you can transfer your characters and progress to any of the new three platforms, whether its PS4, Xbox One or PC. 

We’ll update you as when RockStar confirms the official release dates for GTA 5 on these new platforms. 

Until then, you’ll have to enjoy this next-gen visuals trailer for GTA 5.

Comic-Con 2014: Tons of Guardians of the Galaxy Content Coming to Xbox LIVE, Minecraft, and Other Games

Guardians of the Galaxy content is coming to Xbox LIVE, Minecraft, Marvel Heroes, and other games, Marvel revealed today during a Comic-Con panel.

Here’s the full list of where you can expect to see characters from Marvel’s next big summer movie:

• Minecraft: The Xbox One and Xbox 360 editions of Minecraft will get a Guardians of the Galaxy Skin Pack featuring characters from the movie as well as other characters from the Marvel universe.
• Marvel Heroes 2015: Guardians of the Galaxy characters Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot will join Marvel’s Diablo-like action RPG for the PC.
• Xbox LIVE Avatars: Xbox One and Xbox 360 players will be able to customize their Xbox LIVE Avatars with Guardians of the Galaxy costumes.
• Marvel Pinball: A new table inspired by the movie will showcase the individual powers of each member of Guardians of the Galaxy team, as well as battles against the movie’s villains.
• Marvel: War of Heroes: The mobile game’s special September raid boss event will allow players to use Guardians of the Galaxy characters.
• Marvel: Avengers Alliance: Facebook game Marvel: Avenger’s Alliance’s next Spec Op mission will feature a new story by writer Alex Irvine that focuses on Guardians of the Galaxy heroes and villains.
• Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes: As Disney Interactive previously announced, the “toys-to-life” franchise is getting a Guardians of the Galaxy playset that includes new playable characters.

Disney also recently revealed a Disney Infinity PlayStation exclusive collector's edition bundle, which will include the Marvel Super Heroes Starter Pack, all Avengers figures, and the Frost Beast Collector's Edition display.

Disney said that all the content listed above will roll out over the next few weeks. Guardian’s of the Galaxy opens in theaters August 1.

Xbox Tweets Third-Party Games As Xbox One Exclusives

 

The official Xbox twitter page oddly tweeted out an image saying some huge third-party games are Xbox One exclusives. That’s kind of misleading.

The tweet showed images of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Sunset Overdrive, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Forza Horizon 2 and Evolve. Out of the games listed, only three of them are Xbox One exclusives. If you want to get technical, only Sunset Overdrive is a real Xbox One exclusive. Forza Horizon 2 is getting an Xbox 360 version. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a remake that contains old Halo games. It’s an Xbox One exclusive sure, but the older games were released for the Xbox and Xbox 360 too.

The official Xbox twitter page shouldn’t have misled people into thinking all of these games are Xbox One exclusives. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is also coming to Xbox 360, PC, PS4 and PS3. Assassin’s Creed Unity is coming to PC and PS4. As for Evolve, that game is coming out on PC and PS4 too.

It’s worth mentioning many people saw this marketing blunder and Xbox deleted the original tweet. Kotaku managed to grab a screenshot of the original blunder. All in all, most of these games are not Xbox One exclusives. Activision, 2K and Ubisoft didn’t sell all their games to be Xbox One exclusives.

Every Xbox One Owner Should Consider Buying a PS3

 

For all of the criticism, backpedaling, fanboy wars, and general mockery it gets, the Xbox One is a pretty neat gaming console. Sure, it’s trailing in the “Console Wars,” but it does a ton of cool stuff that cannot be ignored. When they work correctly, voice commands are a revelation, allowing us to relax like kings while we binge-watch Law and Order: SVU. Watching the NBA Playoffs while playing Titanfall is nothing short of awesome, though it’s gotten me killed far more often than I’d like to admit. Its D-Pad is a drastic improvement over the 360, making 2D games like Super Time Force a joy. Sure, it has its share of issues (none of which are funnier than when the Kinect recognized my crotch as a guest user), but the Xbox One is a great machine.
Unfortunately compared to the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One’s library is lacking. The baffling Launch Parity Clause, which requests that ID@Xbox developers launch their games on the console concurrently with other platforms, has still yet to be replaced. Sure, the Xbox One will see a number of exciting independent games over the next year; Below (which had the single best demo I’ve ever played), Inside, White Night, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Cuphead each look intriguing. As of this writing, however, none of them are out.
- See more at: http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/07/18/every-xbox-one-owner-should-consider-buying-a-ps3/94111/#sthash.RvKVosHU.dpuf

 For all of the criticism, backpedaling, fanboy wars, and general mockery it gets, the Xbox One is a pretty neat gaming console. Sure, it’s trailing in the “Console Wars,” but it does a ton of cool stuff that cannot be ignored. When they work correctly, voice commands are a revelation, allowing us to relax like kings while we binge-watch Law and Order: SVU. Watching the NBA Playoffs while playing Titanfall is nothing short of awesome, though it’s gotten me killed far more often than I’d like to admit. Its D-Pad is a drastic improvement over the 360, making 2D games like Super Time Force a joy. Sure, it has its share of issues (none of which are funnier than when the Kinect recognized my crotch as a guest user), but the Xbox One is a great machine.

Unfortunately compared to the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One’s library is lacking. The baffling Launch Parity Clause, which requests that ID@Xbox developers launch their games on the console concurrently with other platforms, has still yet to be replaced. Sure, the Xbox One will see a number of exciting independent games over the next year; Below (which had the single best demo I’ve ever played), Inside, White Night, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Cuphead each look intriguing. As of this writing, however, none of them are out.

Launch titles are still featured on the console’s digital storefront; empty release weeks have become commonplace. Granted, the PlayStation 4′s first-party AAA lineup is nothing to write home about, but rarely does a week pass without something coming out on Sony’s newest console. In fact, as of this writing, the PlayStation 4 currently has 96 games to the Xbox One’s 61. If you own both current-generation consoles, there is little to no reason, outside of streaming video content, to turn on your Xbox One at this time. Those bored with the current Xbox One offerings are left with little to tide them over until the Fall software boom comes. Xbox One owners need some novel experiences over the summer. Fortunately, there is one out-of-the-box solution to the Xbox One’s software problem:

Buying a PlayStation 3 and working your way through its extensive exclusive catalog.

“Wait, what? I just spent hundreds of dollars on a brand new console, and now you’re telling me to buy another one?” Look, I understand that the new console generation has a high cost of entry. For the sake of this argument, I’m going to assume that money isn’t an object here; who am I to decide what $200-$300 is worth to you? If you’re looking for something to play until October’s assault on your wallet begins, you could do a lot worse than the PlayStation 3′s exclusive library.

We don’t currently have the exact number illustrating how many PlayStation 3 owners decided to run with Microsoft this console generation, but it’s easy to assume it’s less than the number of 360-to-PS4 refugees. Consider The Last of Us, the most heralded game in the PS3′s library, and our game of the generation. To date, Naughty Dog’s apocalyptic epic has sold seven million copies, whereas the Xbox 360 has an install base of roughly 83 million. 360 owners who have played The Last of Us are few and far between. Now consider the fact that we’re talking about one of the most popular games in the history of the PlayStation 3. How many Xbox 360/Xbox One owners do you think have played Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, inFAMOUS, or Journey?

There are a number of quality AAA exclusive titles on the Xbox 360, but they pale in comparison to the vast exclusive library of the PlayStation 3. Sure, Halo and Gears of War are far more massive than the PlayStation 3′s exclusive franchises put together, but in terms of sheer numbers it’s not a contest. Alan Wake, the Fable series, Lost Oddessy, and Crackdown are certainly worth playing, but if you’re looking to kill time with games you’ve never played before, you can do a lot better.

Once one starts to make a list of games worth trying on the PlayStation 3, it quickly becomes apparent that hundreds upon hundreds of hours lie waiting to be wasted. Brace yourselves, because we’re about to do some heavy listing up in here: Uncharted 1-3, inFAMOUS 1 and 2, Heavy Rain, The Last of Us, Journey, Ico HD, Shadow of the Colossus HD, Papo & Yo, Beyond Two Souls, God of War 1-3, God of War: Ascension, Super Stardust HD, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Valkyria Chronicles, Metal Gear Solid 4, Flower, Sound Shapes, Resistance 1-3, and The Unfinished Swan. One would have to quit their job or drop out of school to finish every game on this list between now and October.

This is not to say that one couldn’t find a way to kill time with an Xbox One until releases start pouring out this Fall, as there are quite a few replayable games on Microsoft’s newest console. However, working your way through the PlayStation 3′s catalog will never get stale, whereas that 900th game of Titanfall just might. If you’ve never touched a DualShock before, there’s no better time to begin.

For all of the criticism, backpedaling, fanboy wars, and general mockery it gets, the Xbox One is a pretty neat gaming console. Sure, it’s trailing in the “Console Wars,” but it does a ton of cool stuff that cannot be ignored. When they work correctly, voice commands are a revelation, allowing us to relax like kings while we binge-watch Law and Order: SVU. Watching the NBA Playoffs while playing Titanfall is nothing short of awesome, though it’s gotten me killed far more often than I’d like to admit. Its D-Pad is a drastic improvement over the 360, making 2D games like Super Time Force a joy. Sure, it has its share of issues (none of which are funnier than when the Kinect recognized my crotch as a guest user), but the Xbox One is a great machine.
Unfortunately compared to the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One’s library is lacking. The baffling Launch Parity Clause, which requests that ID@Xbox developers launch their games on the console concurrently with other platforms, has still yet to be replaced. Sure, the Xbox One will see a number of exciting independent games over the next year; Below (which had the single best demo I’ve ever played), Inside, White Night, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Cuphead each look intriguing. As of this writing, however, none of them are out.
- See more at: http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/07/18/every-xbox-one-owner-should-consider-buying-a-ps3/94111/#sthash.RvKVosHU.dpuf

For all of the criticism, backpedaling, fanboy wars, and general mockery it gets, the Xbox One is a pretty neat gaming console. Sure, it’s trailing in the “Console Wars,” but it does a ton of cool stuff that cannot be ignored. When they work correctly, voice commands are a revelation, allowing us to relax like kings while we binge-watch Law and Order: SVU. Watching the NBA Playoffs while playing Titanfall is nothing short of awesome, though it’s gotten me killed far more often than I’d like to admit. Its D-Pad is a drastic improvement over the 360, making 2D games like Super Time Force a joy. Sure, it has its share of issues (none of which are funnier than when the Kinect recognized my crotch as a guest user), but the Xbox One is a great machine.
Unfortunately compared to the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One’s library is lacking. The baffling Launch Parity Clause, which requests that ID@Xbox developers launch their games on the console concurrently with other platforms, has still yet to be replaced. Sure, the Xbox One will see a number of exciting independent games over the next year; Below (which had the single best demo I’ve ever played), Inside, White Night, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Cuphead each look intriguing. As of this writing, however, none of them are out.
- See more at: http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/07/18/every-xbox-one-owner-should-consider-buying-a-ps3/94111/#sthash.RvKVosHU.dpuf

For all of the criticism, backpedaling, fanboy wars, and general mockery it gets, the Xbox One is a pretty neat gaming console. Sure, it’s trailing in the “Console Wars,” but it does a ton of cool stuff that cannot be ignored. When they work correctly, voice commands are a revelation, allowing us to relax like kings while we binge-watch Law and Order: SVU. Watching the NBA Playoffs while playing Titanfall is nothing short of awesome, though it’s gotten me killed far more often than I’d like to admit. Its D-Pad is a drastic improvement over the 360, making 2D games like Super Time Force a joy. Sure, it has its share of issues (none of which are funnier than when the Kinect recognized my crotch as a guest user), but the Xbox One is a great machine.
Unfortunately compared to the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One’s library is lacking. The baffling Launch Parity Clause, which requests that ID@Xbox developers launch their games on the console concurrently with other platforms, has still yet to be replaced. Sure, the Xbox One will see a number of exciting independent games over the next year; Below (which had the single best demo I’ve ever played), Inside, White Night, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Cuphead each look intriguing. As of this writing, however, none of them are out.
- See more at: http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/07/18/every-xbox-one-owner-should-consider-buying-a-ps3/94111/#sthash.RvKVosHU.dpuf

Report: Microsoft's cuts include the EMEA Xbox team

 

The massive job cuts Microsoft announced yesterday include the Europe, Middle Eastern and Asian territory Xbox team, according to a report from MCV.

Yesterday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that the company would cut up to 18,000 jobs — 12,500 in its Nokia division — as part of the company's restructuring plan. MCV's sources state that as much as 75 percent of the full-time positions available on the Xbox EMEA would be axed, with current employees having to reapply for the remaining open roles.

Additionally, MCV reports that the Xbox U.K. team has been reduced by 10 percent and all contract roles have been cut. A representative for Xbox told MCV that the redundancies will not affect the launch of the Xbox One in other European countries and Japan this fall.

"We eliminated a number of EMEA roles in the U.K. to gain efficiencies," said the Microsoft spokesperson. "We remain very committed to the market and will continue to support our local development teams. We believe that the U.K. has exceptional games industry talent and we'll continue to focus on game creation in the through Microsoft Studios like Rare, Lionhead Studios, Lift London and Soho Productions. Also, Europe continues to be an important market for Xbox, and we're excited to launch Xbox One to fans in 13 mainland European markets in September."

Nadella noted in his announcement yesterday that the job cuts are designed to "simplify the way we work to drive greater accountability" and make the company more agile. The restructure will also create new jobs and eliminate some managerial hierarchy to promote more teamwork within the company.

Shortly after the layoffs notice, Microsoft revealed it would be shutting down Xbox Entertainment Studios, a branch of the company opened in early 2013 that would focus on producing original programming for the Xbox brand.

Xbox Live service problems affecting sign-in, Xbox Music and Xbox Video (update)

 

Some Xbox Live users are currently having trouble signing in, using Xbox Music and using Xbox Video, according to an update on the Xbox Live service status page.

As of the latest update, which came at 5:10 p.m. ET sign-in issues exist in Xbox One and other Xbox platforms, such as SmartGlass devices. Some individuals attempting to browse Xbox Video and Xbox Music on non-console Xbox devices are encountering problems, according to an update posted at 4:51 p.m. ET. And since 1:23 p.m. ET, a specific issue across Xbox 360, Xbox One and other devices has been preventing some Xbox Live users from watching seasons of television shows that they've already purchased through Xbox Video.

The PBS and Twitch apps are also having some problems. PBS isn't showing up in the app list, while people are having difficulty trying to play "certain content" in the Twitch app. According to the status page, aside from the aforementioned issues, everything else — the Xbox website, social features and gaming — is working fine. Earlier today, the PlayStation Network was operating with intermittent service because of a flood of traffic prior to the launch of the Destiny beta.

If you're having trouble with anything, keep checking the Xbox Live service status page for more details. We've reached out to Microsoft for comment, and will update this article with any information we receive.

Update: "Our engineering teams are working to fix the issues and we expect service to be back to full performance as soon as possible," said a Microsoft representative in an email to Polygon. "In the meantime, our apologies for the interruption."

Update 2: As of 5:48 p.m. ET, Microsoft has fixed the problem with watching TV shows on Xbox Video. The other issues persist, however.

Microsoft To Shut Down Xbox Entertainment Studios

his morning’s announcement byMicrosoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella of one of the largest layoffs in tech history, a plan to cut 18,000 jobs, triggered a whirlwind of speculation about the future of the fledgling Xbox Entertainment Studios. In a memo, Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox division and Microsoft Studios, just confirmed that the company will close the Entertainment Studios in the coming months. Nancy Tellem,Jordan Levin and some of the XES team will stay on for some time to shepherd original programming already in production, including the documentary series about technology Signal to Noise and the Halo game franchise extensions, digital feature Halo: Nightfall and the Halo TV series, which will continue as planned with Microsoft’s 343 Industries and Amblin. Xbox also will continue to support and deliver interactive sports content like ‘NFL on Xbox.’ XBox’s app partnerships are not impacted.

The demise of Xbox Entertainment Studios underscores how hard it is for tech companies, especially of the scale of Microsoft, to get into the content business. The decision appears sudden as just a couple of months ago, Xbox Entertainment Studios unveiled a very extensive first development slate, which included dramas, live-action and animated comedies, unscripted and event series. Levin was brought in as EVP in charge of development only six months ago.

It has been a slow going for the studio the past two years, after Microsoft brought in Tellem, a veteran CBS executive, in September 2012 to crack the entertainment area. Microsoft is a big company where wheels turn slowly, and there didn’t seem to be a strong commitment to the new venture at the top. The company heavily touted its entrance into original programming when it unveiled its next-generation videogame console, the Xbox One, in spring 2013. At that unveiling event, Tellem announced the Halo series with Steven Spielberg executive producing. That project and a number of others faced a lot of hurdles in the deal-making process as the company was creating a new business template for entertainment programming. Meanwhile, XBox rival Sonystepped into the scripted arena for its Sony Playstation Network just a couple of months ago, with its first series, Powers, slated to debut by the end of the year.

XES’ future already seemed a little cloudier after E3 in June, when all the talk about entertainment offerings that had been part of the previous year’s rollout disappeared during Microsoft’s big media presentation. It was games, games, games and nary a mention of XES products to come.

XES also faced a challenge because of the stumbling launch of the Xbox One. The $499 console was stuffed with whiz-bang interactive technologies, but priced $100 more than the competing Sony PS4. Several other Microsoft missteps on policies that gamers considered anti-consumer, a lack of exclusive game titles (other than Titanfall) and the departure of Xbox unit head Don Mattrick months before the One hit store shelves in November didn’t help either. As a result, Sony’s PS4, which launched at almost the same time as the Xbox One, has already built a sizable lead  in sales and consumer momentum nine months in.

Earlier this spring, Microsoft began offering a $399 version of the Xbox One minus the Kinect sensor technologies so it could directly compete on price with the PS4. But now the interactive programming promised with so much fanfare 15 months ago will largely not materialize, and the Xbox team will have to figure out how else to make their machine of interest to an audience beyond hard-core gamers.

Here is Spencer’s memo:

“I hope you have had a chance to read today’s mails from Satya. I wanted to take a moment to share a few thoughts on what this means for our team and some of the changes we are making as a result.

In last week’s mail outlining some of the steps towards creating the culture and organization to bring our ambitions to life, Satya called out the strategic importance of Xbox as a strong consumer brand, a creative center for gaming and a leader in bold innovation. Every member of Team Xbox should be incredibly proud of the impact and reach your work has within the walls of Microsoft, with our developer community and most importantly, with consumers.

Microsoft is the productivity and platform company for a mobile-first and cloud-first world, and games are the single biggest digital life category in a mobile-first world. Success in this category, by growing a robust Xbox business, brings additional value to Microsoft. I have stated this before, but for Xbox to be successful, we must remain committed to being a consumer-driven organization with the mission of meeting the high expectations of a passionate fan base, to create the best games and to drive technical innovation.

As part of the planned reduction to our overall workforce announced today and in light of our organization’s mission, we plan to streamline a handful of portfolio and engineering development efforts across Xbox. One such plan is that, in the coming months, we expect to close Xbox Entertainment Studios. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the accomplishments from the entire team in XES. They have built an impressive slate of original programming and pioneered interactive entertainment on Xbox, such as the innovative reality series ‘Every Street United’ that succeeded in uniting audiences around the globe during the recent World Cup. I am pleased that Nancy, Jordan and members of the XES team remain committed to new, original programming already in production like the upcoming documentary series ‘Signal to Noise’ whose first installment takes on the rise and fall of gaming icon Atari and of course, the upcoming game franchise series ‘Halo: Nightfall,’ and the ‘Halo’ Television series which will continue as planned with 343 Industries. Xbox will continue to support and deliver interactive sports content like ‘NFL on Xbox,’ and we will continue to enhance our entertainment offering on console by innovating the TV experience through the monthly console updates. Additionally, our app partnerships with world-class content providers bringing entertainment, sports and TV content to Xbox customers around the world are not impacted by this organizational change in any way and remain an important component of our Xbox strategy.

Change is never easy, but I believe the changes announced today help us better align with our long-term goals. We have an incredible opportunity ahead of us to define what the next generation of gaming looks like for the growing Xbox community. I have a great deal of confidence in this team and know that with clarity of focus on our mission and our customers we can accomplish great things together. We already have.