Microsoft unveils Xbox One next-generation console

After months of speculation, Microsoft finally revealed its next-generation console today: the Xbox One.

Microsoft called the system an “all in one system” for games, entertainment, and television.

“Welcome to a new generation of games and entertainment. Where games push the boundaries of realism. And listening to music while playing a game is a snap. Where you can jump from TV to movies to music to a game in an instant. And your experience is custom tailored to you. Where the entertainment you love is all in one place. Welcome to the all-in-one, Xbox One.”

The system includes 8GB of RAM, an 8-Core CPU, a 500GB hard drive, a Blu-ray drive, HDMI in and out ports, USB 3.0, 802.11n wireless, and more. It also includes a new version of the Kinect sensor. The Xbox One will not require an always-on internet connection.

The news came during today’s much-hyped Xbox Reveal event and puts numerous rumors to rest including names like Fusion, Xbox 720, Xbox 8 and Loop. It also ends the need for the system’s long-running codename, Durango.

The next-generation console was shown off alongside a new Kinect sensor and a redesigned gamepad.

The US firm described the voice and gesture-controlled machine as an “all-in-one” system offering games, live TV, movies and music.

The firm’s Entertainment and Devices Division accounted for $9.6bn (£6.3bn) worth of sales in Microsoft’s last financial year.

That only represented about 13% of its total revenue for the period – but one analyst said the importance of this launch should not be underestimated.

“Microsoft is very strong in business software and the enterprise cloud business, but its consumer businesses are facing tremendous challenges: PCs are declining rapidly and Windows Phone handsets have only a fraction of the market shares of rivals,” said Jia Wu from consultants Strategy Analytics.

Microsoft has added the ability to watch live TV with channel selection controlled by voice
“Xbox represents Microsoft’s core strategy in the consumer entertainment market, especially after it sold its Mediaroom video distribution business to Ericsson earlier this year.

“This is also the unique asset which Microsoft has that can differentiate itself from Apple, Google and several of the other large tech companies.”

Microsoft’s decision to show off its new hardware in the opening minutes of its presentation sharply contrasted with Sony’s PlayStation 4 press conference in February when the Japanese company decided not to reveal the look of its machine – a move that was mocked by some commentators.

New features
The Xbox One sees Microsoft add a Blu-ray drive and Skype functionality to its console, incorporate vibrating feedback into its gamepad’s triggers, and upgrade the Kinect camera’s sensor to 1080p high definition resolution.

It’s about far more than games – that was the key message from Microsoft’s Xbox One event.

In its eagerness to stake its claim to be a major force in the living room it was nearly half an hour before Microsoft executives got down to showing off the console’s prowess as a games machines.

Instead they gave us quite an impressive demo of its other capabilities, from calling up live TV to making a Skype video call.

Unlike Sony, whose PlayStation 4 event earlier this year proved something of a tease, they showed us a box – albeit quite a chunky inelegant one – within the first five minutes.

But in its determination to build the “all-in-one entertainment system for your living room” Microsoft is taking a risk.

It’s the hardcore gamers who queue up for new consoles – and if my Twitter stream is anything to go by, many were not impressed.

“Terrible stuff,” wrote one.

“My guess is that the Xbox reveal will be universally slated.”

Microsoft, however, having once bet that the PC would become the centre of home entertainment, now needs the Xbox to take on that role.

For Steve Ballmer and his company, this is no game – it’s a battle for the future.

It said the new Kinect would be better at analysing body movements, allowing users to more accurately control games characters and navigate other entertainment options.

“When you’re exercising, it can read your heartbeat,” claimed the firm.

New tools will also allow users to record and edit gameplay so clips can be easily uploaded to the web.

EA Sports was first to announce new titles for the machine revealing Fifa 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14 and the fighting game UFC would all launch on the platform within the next 12 months using a new games engine called Ignite.

It said the new machine allowed it to carry out four times as many calculations a second as the Xbox 360 and 10 times more “animation depth and detail”.

Microsoft Studios also revealed that Forza Motorsports 5 – the latest in its own racing car franchise – would be available when the console launched.

The division added that it planned to release 15 games within the console’s first year, eight of which would be new franchises.

Activision also provided a first look at the next title in its Call of Duty series – Ghosts. It will use a new games engine to take advantage of the Xbox One’s improved graphics capabilities, offering more detailed textures for human skin and other features. The title will also be released on rival platforms.

French publisher Ubisoft was not part of the launch, but took the opportunity to announce that two games in development – Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – would be available for the Xbox One before the end of 2013.

Microsoft indicated the new Kinect would address criticism that the first one was not accurate enough.

The company’s chief executive, Yves Guillemot, said he was excited by the opportunities offered by the machine’s improved specifications.

“We believe it will reinvigorate the industry,” he told the BBC.

“There’s a huge step up in graphics and there’s a big step up in terms of memory as well.

“It will take time to take full advantage of the machines because we’ll have to learn how to best optimise the technology – but even from the beginning you will see a huge difference between a game on the two different generations.”

So what’s your thoughts on the new console? Is it in your Christmas list to Santa?