"It will be interesting to see what Sony pull out later on today."
So far it's only been a media player (that the PS3 already had)... certainly nowhere near as exciting as backwards compatibility to a huge library of good games.
MS certainly had the better show this year. One of the best i've ever seen infact. I'm quite surprised they managed to get 360 games running through emulation, which is usually very demanding. I also really like the new Elite controller and Win 10 is shaping up well and running good for me (minus a few bugs and polish). MS are killing it at the moment.
I'll take the backwards compatibility over better hardware though. It's disappointing they didn't at least match what Sony was doing, and the sealed hard drive is lame, but even still backwards compatibility is king. The PS2 stunk compared to the Gamecube and Xbox 1, but I still standardized on it because it was backwards compatible...although of course now it almost doesn't matter since Sony's just quit caring, so I still have to keep PS2s around, but at least not PS1s.
My understanding is that chunk of the game will have to be re-downloaded, thus not all games will be available, only those already "converted"... around 100 initially... but they will keep adding (recompiling?) them to the library.
Love seeing the Playstation fans squirm.. over the next 5 years, people will realize the xbox one was a amazing console choice.
Hololens, Oculus Rift, Backwards Compatibility, Custom Controllers, PC and Console WIndows integration, External HDD support..
The first 3 are all KILLER APPS and i just don't see sony catching up.. Sony was ahead, but it's clear that they arent anymore.. Maybe sold more the first 2 years but that wont last much longer. All the new groundbreaking tech is coming to Xbox One.
Well, a controller that costs 1/3rd of the console is pretty ridiculous, just to be able to swap some of the components out and have some paddles on the back.
I suspect the PS4 fans are fine with Sony's forthcoming VR solution, and their existing, albeit online based, backward compatability solution. And swapping the internal HDD so you don't have USB drives dangling around. And having a more powerful GPU which is a core aspect of the console.
I'll agree with you on this one. I run my PS4 on 720p TV at present. My wife uses main 1080p TV for her reality and other TV, so I'd rather play on lesser TV whenever I have time, than compromise with her TV schedule.
I can see the difference, but it doesn't really change game perception in important enough way. Still same gameplay and visuals, save for output resolution.
But. Next Unreal, CryTek, iD engine... might push this hardware over the limit. PS4 can fall back to 720p in order to keep eye-candy and frame-rate at reasonable levels. Where can XBO fall back? At some point, multiplatform games will start looking better on PS4 - I expect - beyond just an output resolution.
All depends on panel size and distance. 720p to 1080p on my 50" at around 5 feet, yeah I can tell. 900p (where many XBO games are) to 1080p, not so much, 720 to 900, yes.
It seems that Morawka is one of the people who fills the comment sections at game sites with derp knocking the console they either couldn't afford or were brainwashed into hating. Of course the PS4 fans will have their own VR system and lots of great games. Fortunately I can afford all consoles and a nice gaming PC to enjoy all the fantastic games that have been and will be released.
yet my comment incited a lot of discussion. As for the VR argument, lets have that discussion.
Say you got $500 saved back for AR or VR. you wanna try this new bleeding edge tech out but aren't willing to go crazy with the $$ until you see it's value first-hand.
Are you gonna go with a Sony VR headset that can only be used on a PS4. or are you gonna try the Oculus VR that can be used on PC, Linux, and Xbox One.
Now a person might say "well i'm gonna buy the VR for the system i own." But then i say, what if your a PC Gamer too? are you still gonna choose propriety PS4 VR over Oculus?
And then you might not want VR at all. You might want AR.. Which is holo lens and HTC and Steam's version.. But those are both for PC (aka Microsoft PC).
And a lot of people dont realize, the Xbox One is a Windows 10 PC. with the same kernal as windows 10 on the desktop. It's x86, has 8GB RAM, HDD, Network, PCH, etc.. Just like the PS4.. However Sony doesn't have a Desktop or mobile OS. naturally the advantage goes to Microsoft.
I don't care about Linux gaming, I don't think it will catch up with Windows gaming any time soon - especially with DX12 promise on Windows side.
I also don't have XBO... nor do I think that GPU in XBO can successfully run VR on average. That MS sided with OR and SteamVR is just their PR response to Morpheus - I'm not convinced they will really be pushing VR on console developers and games, since they really have no investment in this tech... so I'm choosing between PS4 VR and PC VR.
Eventually, I will wait to see what games come out to take advantage of VR on either platform. While PC does have technological edge - hardware limitations are easily solvable with some money injection - it also suffers from decentralization. Morpheus is 1st party solution and Sony can push requirements for Morpheus support on pretty much any developer who wants to create PS4 game. OR is 3rd party solution and each developer can decide to support it or not, but no one will be in position to force this decision on devs, and I fear that scenario will be such as this - devs will wait for OR to sell enough before they start spending their development budget on VR support development and optimization, and people would wait for good games to appear before investing... in short, I think that Morpheus is safer, being a part of walled garden and having direct support from platform holder.
XBO will be Win 10 PC when every game released for either works on both. I don't think we'll see this. The hypervisor (core OS) is basically Windows OS, to my knowledge, but gaming OS which runs on top of it is quite a different beast.
a VR headset is nothing more than a monitor with head tracking.. Weather it's native or not just decides what API your using.
That's like saying you bought a sony monitor because you have a sony computer, and you hope the tech will work more seamlessly.
On the game engine api side they are both gonna use amd's VR api since both consoles use a amd gpu. The oculus will be treated as a monitor with a few special api calls just the same as Morpheus.
Ref Oculus Rift on Linux and Xbox One: Linux support has officially been put on hold, while Xbox One support for actual games VR has not been announced.
Look up Scuf controllers. Many if not most pros use them. The Elite controllers seems like an even better value in comparison, more customizable, steel build, etc.
I'm not sure if that was directed at me or PS fans in particular, but I am not a PS fan. I do not currently own a PS4 or Xbone. I was massively into Xbox and Xbox 360, but then I got back into PC gaming about five years ago and haven't looked back. You couldn't make me switch back even if you handed me a console for free.
HoloLens looks very cool - but that's a Windows technology first and an optional Xbone peripheral second - there will be far more reason for PC gamers to get HoloLens than Xboners. Oculus Rift on Xbone is pointless since it can only be used on a Windows 10 PC that is streaming a game from Xbone - adding lots of latency to a technology focused on eliminating latency is antithetical. Backward compatibility is a plus for sure, but is definitely something that is too late for most people to care. Custom controllers can be had by the truckload on PC. The Windows integration - so far - looks like little more than playing Xbone games over the network to your W10 PC... Microsoft has been promising cross-platform play for over a decade and failed at every attempt because developers don't want to let people outside of the walled gardens. External HDD support??!?? ZOMG! Just like my old 64DD! If Microsoft allowed internal HDD/SSD upgrades like PS, I would be a lot more impressed.
The main take-away here is that... PC gamers rejoice!
Backwards compatibility is a killer app, the other two, who knows? Moot point anyway since Sony announced a VR thing years before Microsoft partnered with this. Also, the PS4 has 2x the fill rate so can handle VR better.
Don't know. Morpheus looks decent, and is tailored to PS4 hardware. OR was developed for PC in mind, will be interesting to see how it adapts to XBO.
HoloLens, true... Sony has nothing for AR. I am undecided about this. HoloLens will be great once it develops, but it is not there already; small holo field of view is quite an issue, and it might take a few years until hardware gets performance and power consumption fully suitable for this scenario.
Backward compatibility. Now we can argue about this... but only once we see how well MS does it. Obviously it is not "emulation" in common way, where you run emulator on your machine, pop any X360 disc in and play. Part of game code must be adapted for XBO. How big this part is? How robust execution is? How different is this from "remastered" games already present on both new systems? Eventually, Sony can make their streaming service free for people who already own specific PS2/PS3 games, or let them download "remastered" game for free if they have original. Considering this, I'd say that XBOs "compatibility" is just an answer to Sony's already set services. It might turn out to be better solution, but we'll have to wait and see.
PS4 can access external USB storage, but cannot install games there. That, however, is one firmware upgrade away. Will Sony do it, that's another question.
Elite controller looks nice but is a bit too expensive. The part I don't like is that it will give advantage to people who want/can spend money, something that I previously liked consoles for because they were great equalizers - people were, in general, playing under same conditions. There were 3rd party controllers, but original ones were usually the best choice anyway... and everyone was playing same CPU, GPU... save for screen size. Now those who can will be able to switch weapons, magics, whatever... with additional paddles... compared to people who will have to do that through on-screen menus. It is a pay-to-win, even if in very small way... and I don't like this coming from actual platform manufacturer. Eventually, Sony can do the same - but I hope they will release updated controller with better battery life and not much more.
Yup. This is why I waited a while before buying a new console. Got the new Xbox for a lot cheaper than it was on launch day, and now I know I made the right choice :)
Hololens is barely related to Xbox One as it renders its own graphics. The only thing announced for Xbox One and Oculus Rift so far has been that laughable 2D streaming thing they showcased. I think you're getting ahead of yourself giving Xbox One any credit for either of those two.
It's at least too bad the controller wasn't offered at launch. The Xbox One controller is virtually identical to the Xbox 360. The new demo controller has some considerable improvements that aren't really revolutionary and should have just been added in the first place. The trigger locks are a huge benefit to FPS's...and the D-pad looks interesting.
Really excited about the elite controller and the PC wireless dongle. Xbox controller has been one of my primary PC peripheral for years as probably the only thing positive that came from GFWL.
Not that excited for the other Xbox announcements although it is certainly great news for 360 owners. Personally I am more encouraged by Microsoft applying their hardware and services mentality to win10 and bringing it closer to Xbox.
Yeah, I dunno, on the one hand I've never paid nearly that much for any gamepad... On the other hand I've had literally dozens upon dozens of pads and I've paid close to that much for some joysticks.
Back in the day, 1st party controllers were never the best (probably dating myself here) but I guess with huge budgets and plenty of research you'd kind of expect them to be, it does look great.
Kinda wish I could buy such a refined gamepad in a more old school guise for retro gaming, but with the swappable d-pad and some of those other perks.
I'm the opposite, I use the 360 controller for pretty much every 3rd person game even if it has shooting elements. As long as its not online I'm willing to give up the aiming accuracy for the precision movement of the thumbsticks and immersiveness of the rumble feedback and triggers.
Pretty much every game I am playing right now has flawless support of the XBox controller (AC: Unity, FarCry4, GTA5, Witcher 3). I completely wore out the thumb sticks on my original 360 wireless, and the Elite would take care of that and allow you to modularly replace worn out parts.
"Microsoft has not had the success with the Xbox One, compared in relative terms at least, to the Xbox 360."
That sounds very stupid when you take into consideration that after the same period of time from launch MS has sold far more Xbox Ones than 360s. The Xbox One is only not considered a runaway success because the PS4 is more of a runaway success.
They both have vastly outsold the previous generation.
Your sentence just wasn't worded the best, IMO. It makes it seem like you are saying that the XB1 has not been a success relative to the XB360 (which is obviously not even slightly the case, the XB1 is smashing the 360 over the same period). I took a few stabs at a more clearly worded sentence...but it quickly became plain why I'm not a writer :).
So you would mean a double relative: Compared to the 360 compared to the PS3. Because the XBO compared to the 360 alone, is doing better. Just that the PS4 is doing even more better-er.
And that's AWESOME, because we keep being told it's all dead. Yeah, right. It's all dead, which is why the new stuff is outselling the insanely popular old stuff at the same period, with an even worse economic situation for normal people.
Maybe OP was thinking relative to X360's direct competitor, Playstation 3. While XBO has better numbers than X360, market penetration relative to direct competitor is much worst.
it's for enthusiast who will be Streaming PC games to Xbox and vice versa.. They clearly needed more buttons. Your move Japanese Sony.. American Xbox One is here to stay
Wait, you can stream PC games to Xbox too? I hadn't heard about that, but that's freaking amazing if true. Microsoft's conference in 2013 was an hilarious joke, and this is literally the exact opposite. Backwards compatibility, streaming your games around your house? This is actually cool stuff, versus "hey, you don't own your games, you have to be online all the time, and here's a stupid camera you don't care about! Aren't you excited!!!"
No, you can stream from Xbox to PC, not the other way around at this point. I asked them about that at Build, and they said it's something they've discussed but they wanted to get this out first. And although I love PC gaming, I think it makes more sense to stream the other way since the vast majority of PCs and tablets don't have enough GPU for gaming. Playing Sunset Overdrive on an Xbox Controller hooked to a Surface Pro 3 was a great experience.
Look up Scuf controllers. Many if not most pros use them. The Elite controllers seems like an even better value in comparison, more customizable, steel build, etc.
That controller looks awesome. But $150 and another $25 for the wireless dongle? I have a lot of other toys to buy before I'd consider replacing my DS4 at that price.
It's really nice to see Xbox 360 compatibility. Unfortunately it won't work with titles requiring hardware (such as Kinect) and since that's the major reason I have the 360 (for the kids), I figure there's no point in moving to the One even with this new compatibility system.
Well, I'd assume Kinect 2 could handle whatever Kinect 1 was doing, but I'd also assume, and think, that anything that required Kinect should be the absolute last thing they concentrate on getting running, since most people don't care.
That new pad sounds good (for my PC), I hope its quality can justify the unusually high price.
As for backward compatibility - it is just pathetic that something that should have been a standard from the start is now being promoted as a feature, especially this late. But then, if all consoles came with backward compatibility, the so-called HD remakes wouldn't sell so well.
Nonetheless, definitely a lot of good stuff coming for XB1 owners to cheer about.
I'm hoping with this shift to x86 architecture, compatibility will be native and available from day 1 in the future. Presuming both MS and Sony stay with x86 for next generations.
Sooo... I like the controller, I won't pay that price, but online deals abound if you are patient.
I want it for my PC, because I'm a big boy. But my question is, what are those extra buttons supposed to do for console games?
Aren't games pre-mapped to work with standard controllers? What are these extra levers underneath it going to do for Games that are already out? Will you be able to make custom bindings for console games as well? If so isn't that going to throw off the level playing field that consoles provide online?
I guess we'll have configurable games in the future. Or pre-configured for different controllers. Also patched older games.
Some games already have multiple configurations you can choose between... I cannot recall if any current console game actually can re-configure each individual command, though.
I could not be more excited about backwards compatibility. That's the most important feature a game console can have, and it means I'm not going to standardize on Xbox One (even if I hate the less powerful GPU, even if I hate the sealed hard drive). Crazy excited.
Most of their exclusives are predictable (not unwelcome, but I mean come on, it's more Halo, more Gears, more Forza), but I'm actually surprised and excited for Rare Replay. I've hated how Rare's just been trashed since Microsoft bought them, and that collection looks awesome...and they're only charging $30 for it?!?
Some of them I don't care about, some I'd love to play again, and quite a few, particularly on the NES, I missed the first time and actually want to play.
Hell, I missed Grabbed by the Ghoulies and wanted to play that. Haven't played Conker either.
Banjo Nuts and Bolts pissed me off though. Such a terrible game, and yet it constantly trashed the first two Banjo games that were actually great (though way too hard).
I wish they could include Donkey Kong 64 though, and Starfox Adventures is IMO their best game.
I wish they could take those games and like reskin them with new characters or something so they could get rereleased. DK64 could easily use Banjo and other Rare characters, for example.
Oh well, regardless, that's an AMAZING deal with a crazy amount of gameplay. Complete steal!
Oh...wish Jetpack Gemini was in there too, but Blast Corps is!
Didn`t see this one coming, well sadly no official xbox 360 emulator for PC from microsoft, for now i use http://xb360emulator.com, it does the job fine, but sadly it can`t emulate every game possible nor flawless. Good news are that there are many xobx 360 emulation projects coming along
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jimbo2779 - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
Pretty big announcements right there.It will be interesting to see what Sony pull out later on today.
basroil - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
"It will be interesting to see what Sony pull out later on today."So far it's only been a media player (that the PS3 already had)... certainly nowhere near as exciting as backwards compatibility to a huge library of good games.
B3an - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
MS certainly had the better show this year. One of the best i've ever seen infact. I'm quite surprised they managed to get 360 games running through emulation, which is usually very demanding. I also really like the new Elite controller and Win 10 is shaping up well and running good for me (minus a few bugs and polish). MS are killing it at the moment.royalcrown - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Too bad they didn't "kill it" by releasing better hardware in the first place.Wolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
I'll take the backwards compatibility over better hardware though. It's disappointing they didn't at least match what Sony was doing, and the sealed hard drive is lame, but even still backwards compatibility is king. The PS2 stunk compared to the Gamecube and Xbox 1, but I still standardized on it because it was backwards compatible...although of course now it almost doesn't matter since Sony's just quit caring, so I still have to keep PS2s around, but at least not PS1s.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
My understanding is that chunk of the game will have to be re-downloaded, thus not all games will be available, only those already "converted"... around 100 initially... but they will keep adding (recompiling?) them to the library.WinterCharm - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link
Backwards compatibility won me over.nathanddrews - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
Too bad they didn't offer any of this at launch.Morawka - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Love seeing the Playstation fans squirm.. over the next 5 years, people will realize the xbox one was a amazing console choice.Hololens, Oculus Rift, Backwards Compatibility, Custom Controllers, PC and Console WIndows integration, External HDD support..
The first 3 are all KILLER APPS and i just don't see sony catching up.. Sony was ahead, but it's clear that they arent anymore.. Maybe sold more the first 2 years but that wont last much longer. All the new groundbreaking tech is coming to Xbox One.
psychobriggsy - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Well, a controller that costs 1/3rd of the console is pretty ridiculous, just to be able to swap some of the components out and have some paddles on the back.I suspect the PS4 fans are fine with Sony's forthcoming VR solution, and their existing, albeit online based, backward compatability solution. And swapping the internal HDD so you don't have USB drives dangling around. And having a more powerful GPU which is a core aspect of the console.
damianrobertjones - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Most consumers cannot tell the difference between 720p and 1080p let alone, all those years back, dvd and vhs.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
I'll agree with you on this one. I run my PS4 on 720p TV at present. My wife uses main 1080p TV for her reality and other TV, so I'd rather play on lesser TV whenever I have time, than compromise with her TV schedule.I can see the difference, but it doesn't really change game perception in important enough way. Still same gameplay and visuals, save for output resolution.
But. Next Unreal, CryTek, iD engine... might push this hardware over the limit. PS4 can fall back to 720p in order to keep eye-candy and frame-rate at reasonable levels. Where can XBO fall back? At some point, multiplatform games will start looking better on PS4 - I expect - beyond just an output resolution.
Hrel - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
Uh, the difference between 720p and 1080p is night and day. A color blind autistic dwarf with partially detached retina's could tell them apart.tipoo - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
All depends on panel size and distance. 720p to 1080p on my 50" at around 5 feet, yeah I can tell. 900p (where many XBO games are) to 1080p, not so much, 720 to 900, yes.JeffFlanagan - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
It seems that Morawka is one of the people who fills the comment sections at game sites with derp knocking the console they either couldn't afford or were brainwashed into hating. Of course the PS4 fans will have their own VR system and lots of great games. Fortunately I can afford all consoles and a nice gaming PC to enjoy all the fantastic games that have been and will be released.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Lucky you. I could afford all platforms, but not the time... so it is PC and PS4 for me...Morawka - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
yet my comment incited a lot of discussion. As for the VR argument, lets have that discussion.Say you got $500 saved back for AR or VR. you wanna try this new bleeding edge tech out but aren't willing to go crazy with the $$ until you see it's value first-hand.
Are you gonna go with a Sony VR headset that can only be used on a PS4. or are you gonna try the Oculus VR that can be used on PC, Linux, and Xbox One.
Now a person might say "well i'm gonna buy the VR for the system i own." But then i say, what if your a PC Gamer too? are you still gonna choose propriety PS4 VR over Oculus?
And then you might not want VR at all. You might want AR.. Which is holo lens and HTC and Steam's version.. But those are both for PC (aka Microsoft PC).
And a lot of people dont realize, the Xbox One is a Windows 10 PC. with the same kernal as windows 10 on the desktop. It's x86, has 8GB RAM, HDD, Network, PCH, etc.. Just like the PS4.. However Sony doesn't have a Desktop or mobile OS. naturally the advantage goes to Microsoft.
nikon133 - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
I don't care about Linux gaming, I don't think it will catch up with Windows gaming any time soon - especially with DX12 promise on Windows side.I also don't have XBO... nor do I think that GPU in XBO can successfully run VR on average. That MS sided with OR and SteamVR is just their PR response to Morpheus - I'm not convinced they will really be pushing VR on console developers and games, since they really have no investment in this tech... so I'm choosing between PS4 VR and PC VR.
Eventually, I will wait to see what games come out to take advantage of VR on either platform. While PC does have technological edge - hardware limitations are easily solvable with some money injection - it also suffers from decentralization. Morpheus is 1st party solution and Sony can push requirements for Morpheus support on pretty much any developer who wants to create PS4 game. OR is 3rd party solution and each developer can decide to support it or not, but no one will be in position to force this decision on devs, and I fear that scenario will be such as this - devs will wait for OR to sell enough before they start spending their development budget on VR support development and optimization, and people would wait for good games to appear before investing... in short, I think that Morpheus is safer, being a part of walled garden and having direct support from platform holder.
XBO will be Win 10 PC when every game released for either works on both. I don't think we'll see this. The hypervisor (core OS) is basically Windows OS, to my knowledge, but gaming OS which runs on top of it is quite a different beast.
Morawka - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
a VR headset is nothing more than a monitor with head tracking.. Weather it's native or not just decides what API your using.That's like saying you bought a sony monitor because you have a sony computer, and you hope the tech will work more seamlessly.
On the game engine api side they are both gonna use amd's VR api since both consoles use a amd gpu. The oculus will be treated as a monitor with a few special api calls just the same as Morpheus.
DesktopMan - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Ref Oculus Rift on Linux and Xbox One: Linux support has officially been put on hold, while Xbox One support for actual games VR has not been announced.PenguinJim - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Consumers who want good graphics do not settle for 1080P/30 or lower on PS4. That's just a weapon for the pathetic console fanboy war online.tipoo - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Look up Scuf controllers. Many if not most pros use them. The Elite controllers seems like an even better value in comparison, more customizable, steel build, etc.nathanddrews - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
I'm not sure if that was directed at me or PS fans in particular, but I am not a PS fan. I do not currently own a PS4 or Xbone. I was massively into Xbox and Xbox 360, but then I got back into PC gaming about five years ago and haven't looked back. You couldn't make me switch back even if you handed me a console for free.HoloLens looks very cool - but that's a Windows technology first and an optional Xbone peripheral second - there will be far more reason for PC gamers to get HoloLens than Xboners. Oculus Rift on Xbone is pointless since it can only be used on a Windows 10 PC that is streaming a game from Xbone - adding lots of latency to a technology focused on eliminating latency is antithetical. Backward compatibility is a plus for sure, but is definitely something that is too late for most people to care. Custom controllers can be had by the truckload on PC. The Windows integration - so far - looks like little more than playing Xbone games over the network to your W10 PC... Microsoft has been promising cross-platform play for over a decade and failed at every attempt because developers don't want to let people outside of the walled gardens. External HDD support??!?? ZOMG! Just like my old 64DD! If Microsoft allowed internal HDD/SSD upgrades like PS, I would be a lot more impressed.
The main take-away here is that... PC gamers rejoice!
Flunk - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Or they'll just get an Xbox One, nothing is stopping you from having both.Wolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Backwards compatibility is a killer app, the other two, who knows? Moot point anyway since Sony announced a VR thing years before Microsoft partnered with this. Also, the PS4 has 2x the fill rate so can handle VR better.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Don't know. Morpheus looks decent, and is tailored to PS4 hardware. OR was developed for PC in mind, will be interesting to see how it adapts to XBO.HoloLens, true... Sony has nothing for AR. I am undecided about this. HoloLens will be great once it develops, but it is not there already; small holo field of view is quite an issue, and it might take a few years until hardware gets performance and power consumption fully suitable for this scenario.
Backward compatibility. Now we can argue about this... but only once we see how well MS does it. Obviously it is not "emulation" in common way, where you run emulator on your machine, pop any X360 disc in and play. Part of game code must be adapted for XBO. How big this part is? How robust execution is? How different is this from "remastered" games already present on both new systems? Eventually, Sony can make their streaming service free for people who already own specific PS2/PS3 games, or let them download "remastered" game for free if they have original. Considering this, I'd say that XBOs "compatibility" is just an answer to Sony's already set services. It might turn out to be better solution, but we'll have to wait and see.
PS4 can access external USB storage, but cannot install games there. That, however, is one firmware upgrade away. Will Sony do it, that's another question.
Elite controller looks nice but is a bit too expensive. The part I don't like is that it will give advantage to people who want/can spend money, something that I previously liked consoles for because they were great equalizers - people were, in general, playing under same conditions. There were 3rd party controllers, but original ones were usually the best choice anyway... and everyone was playing same CPU, GPU... save for screen size. Now those who can will be able to switch weapons, magics, whatever... with additional paddles... compared to people who will have to do that through on-screen menus. It is a pay-to-win, even if in very small way... and I don't like this coming from actual platform manufacturer. Eventually, Sony can do the same - but I hope they will release updated controller with better battery life and not much more.
WinterCharm - Saturday, June 27, 2015 - link
Yup. This is why I waited a while before buying a new console. Got the new Xbox for a lot cheaper than it was on launch day, and now I know I made the right choice :)DesktopMan - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Hololens is barely related to Xbox One as it renders its own graphics. The only thing announced for Xbox One and Oculus Rift so far has been that laughable 2D streaming thing they showcased. I think you're getting ahead of yourself giving Xbox One any credit for either of those two.Samus - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
It's at least too bad the controller wasn't offered at launch. The Xbox One controller is virtually identical to the Xbox 360. The new demo controller has some considerable improvements that aren't really revolutionary and should have just been added in the first place. The trigger locks are a huge benefit to FPS's...and the D-pad looks interesting.chizow - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
Really excited about the elite controller and the PC wireless dongle. Xbox controller has been one of my primary PC peripheral for years as probably the only thing positive that came from GFWL.Not that excited for the other Xbox announcements although it is certainly great news for 360 owners. Personally I am more encouraged by Microsoft applying their hardware and services mentality to win10 and bringing it closer to Xbox.
inighthawki - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
That new controller looks absolutely fantastic, but I don't think I'd get nearly enough use from it to justify that price tag - it's a bit steep.Impulses - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
Yeah, I dunno, on the one hand I've never paid nearly that much for any gamepad... On the other hand I've had literally dozens upon dozens of pads and I've paid close to that much for some joysticks.Back in the day, 1st party controllers were never the best (probably dating myself here) but I guess with huge budgets and plenty of research you'd kind of expect them to be, it does look great.
Kinda wish I could buy such a refined gamepad in a more old school guise for retro gaming, but with the swappable d-pad and some of those other perks.
chizow - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
I'm the opposite, I use the 360 controller for pretty much every 3rd person game even if it has shooting elements. As long as its not online I'm willing to give up the aiming accuracy for the precision movement of the thumbsticks and immersiveness of the rumble feedback and triggers.Pretty much every game I am playing right now has flawless support of the XBox controller (AC: Unity, FarCry4, GTA5, Witcher 3). I completely wore out the thumb sticks on my original 360 wireless, and the Elite would take care of that and allow you to modularly replace worn out parts.
Eidigean - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
So, this is the controller being bundled with an Oculus Rift, right? </sarcasm>chizow - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Hopefully there's either an option with this controller or a controller-less version of the Rift.Sttm - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
"Microsoft has not had the success with the Xbox One, compared in relative terms at least, to the Xbox 360."That sounds very stupid when you take into consideration that after the same period of time from launch MS has sold far more Xbox Ones than 360s. The Xbox One is only not considered a runaway success because the PS4 is more of a runaway success.
They both have vastly outsold the previous generation.
Brett Howse - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
That's why I said relative.althaz - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Your sentence just wasn't worded the best, IMO. It makes it seem like you are saying that the XB1 has not been a success relative to the XB360 (which is obviously not even slightly the case, the XB1 is smashing the 360 over the same period). I took a few stabs at a more clearly worded sentence...but it quickly became plain why I'm not a writer :).tipoo - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
So you would mean a double relative: Compared to the 360 compared to the PS3. Because the XBO compared to the 360 alone, is doing better. Just that the PS4 is doing even more better-er.Wolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
And that's AWESOME, because we keep being told it's all dead. Yeah, right. It's all dead, which is why the new stuff is outselling the insanely popular old stuff at the same period, with an even worse economic situation for normal people.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Maybe OP was thinking relative to X360's direct competitor, Playstation 3. While XBO has better numbers than X360, market penetration relative to direct competitor is much worst.Laststop311 - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
150 dollars for a controller oh helllll noMorawka - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
it's for enthusiast who will be Streaming PC games to Xbox and vice versa.. They clearly needed more buttons. Your move Japanese Sony.. American Xbox One is here to stayWolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Wait, you can stream PC games to Xbox too? I hadn't heard about that, but that's freaking amazing if true. Microsoft's conference in 2013 was an hilarious joke, and this is literally the exact opposite. Backwards compatibility, streaming your games around your house? This is actually cool stuff, versus "hey, you don't own your games, you have to be online all the time, and here's a stupid camera you don't care about! Aren't you excited!!!"Brett Howse - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
No, you can stream from Xbox to PC, not the other way around at this point. I asked them about that at Build, and they said it's something they've discussed but they wanted to get this out first. And although I love PC gaming, I think it makes more sense to stream the other way since the vast majority of PCs and tablets don't have enough GPU for gaming. Playing Sunset Overdrive on an Xbox Controller hooked to a Surface Pro 3 was a great experience.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
OK, that makes more sense.nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
Why would enthusiast stream games from their gaming PCs to XBO, if they have gaming PCs in a first place?It's sort of, like, streaming somehow power of Ferrari to Fiat 500... but I'd rather drive native Ferrari any time of the day, really ;)
Morawka - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
to free up the TV for a girlfriend or mom. whichever situation your in.nikon133 - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
Moving console around the house is simple enough, compared to moving gaming rig. Only power cable and HDMI cable.I'm probably a bit older than average... so I'm in "wife" situation. I got 2nd TV to avoid conflicts, but I'm still moving my PS4 around when needed.
Gigaplex - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
How would streaming from a PC to the TV connected Xbox free up the TV? It'll do the opposite.tipoo - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Look up Scuf controllers. Many if not most pros use them. The Elite controllers seems like an even better value in comparison, more customizable, steel build, etc.doogless - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
That controller looks awesome. But $150 and another $25 for the wireless dongle? I have a lot of other toys to buy before I'd consider replacing my DS4 at that price.mobutu - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
typo: "In addition, the Microsoft has created the Xbox Elite Controller"the Microsoft? :)
ET - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
It's really nice to see Xbox 360 compatibility. Unfortunately it won't work with titles requiring hardware (such as Kinect) and since that's the major reason I have the 360 (for the kids), I figure there's no point in moving to the One even with this new compatibility system.Wolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Well, I'd assume Kinect 2 could handle whatever Kinect 1 was doing, but I'd also assume, and think, that anything that required Kinect should be the absolute last thing they concentrate on getting running, since most people don't care.D. Lister - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
That new pad sounds good (for my PC), I hope its quality can justify the unusually high price.As for backward compatibility - it is just pathetic that something that should have been a standard from the start is now being promoted as a feature, especially this late. But then, if all consoles came with backward compatibility, the so-called HD remakes wouldn't sell so well.
Nonetheless, definitely a lot of good stuff coming for XB1 owners to cheer about.
nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
I'm hoping with this shift to x86 architecture, compatibility will be native and available from day 1 in the future. Presuming both MS and Sony stay with x86 for next generations.Refuge - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Sooo... I like the controller, I won't pay that price, but online deals abound if you are patient.I want it for my PC, because I'm a big boy. But my question is, what are those extra buttons supposed to do for console games?
Aren't games pre-mapped to work with standard controllers? What are these extra levers underneath it going to do for Games that are already out? Will you be able to make custom bindings for console games as well? If so isn't that going to throw off the level playing field that consoles provide online?
Manch - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
Yes, you can remap the buttons, etc. Says so in the article...nikon133 - Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - link
I guess we'll have configurable games in the future. Or pre-configured for different controllers. Also patched older games.Some games already have multiple configurations you can choose between... I cannot recall if any current console game actually can re-configure each individual command, though.
Wolfpup - Tuesday, June 16, 2015 - link
I could not be more excited about backwards compatibility. That's the most important feature a game console can have, and it means I'm not going to standardize on Xbox One (even if I hate the less powerful GPU, even if I hate the sealed hard drive). Crazy excited.Most of their exclusives are predictable (not unwelcome, but I mean come on, it's more Halo, more Gears, more Forza), but I'm actually surprised and excited for Rare Replay. I've hated how Rare's just been trashed since Microsoft bought them, and that collection looks awesome...and they're only charging $30 for it?!?
Some of them I don't care about, some I'd love to play again, and quite a few, particularly on the NES, I missed the first time and actually want to play.
Hell, I missed Grabbed by the Ghoulies and wanted to play that. Haven't played Conker either.
Banjo Nuts and Bolts pissed me off though. Such a terrible game, and yet it constantly trashed the first two Banjo games that were actually great (though way too hard).
I wish they could include Donkey Kong 64 though, and Starfox Adventures is IMO their best game.
I wish they could take those games and like reskin them with new characters or something so they could get rereleased. DK64 could easily use Banjo and other Rare characters, for example.
Oh well, regardless, that's an AMAZING deal with a crazy amount of gameplay. Complete steal!
Oh...wish Jetpack Gemini was in there too, but Blast Corps is!
wvik - Thursday, June 18, 2015 - link
Didn`t see this one coming, well sadly no official xbox 360 emulator for PC from microsoft, for now i use http://xb360emulator.com, it does the job fine, but sadly it can`t emulate every game possible nor flawless. Good news are that there are many xobx 360 emulation projects coming alongroom200 - Friday, June 19, 2015 - link
Well, I'm sure the gamers who got rid of their XBoX 360 games (like me) are pretty disappointed.