Xbox One: Microsoft’s new console, Kinect, and a big bet on TV – The Verge

Microsoft starts the holiday sales early with $50 off Xbox One

2014-10-27T06:43:29-04:00

The Kinect-less Xbox One is getting even cheaper from this Sunday as Microsoft starts up its Season of Xbox discounts for the holidays. A new $349 price ($50 less than the current $399) will kick in from the 2nd of November through to the end of the year for several console bundles, including the Special Edition Sunset Overdrive white console. This will be across most major US retailers and there'll be similar deals for the rest of the world, though Microsoft hasn't yet detailed them in full. The Xbox One saw a recent price cut in the UK to £329, following on from a similar move in February and underlining Microsoft's determination to match …

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The Xbox was the future — now it’s just a game console

2014-05-13T16:33:31-04:00

Years ago, Microsoft had a bold vision for the future of computing. It would be a tapestry composed of tiny squares. Each square would represent an app, a game, an experience of some sort, and you'd be able to just reach out and touch it. Or, if you already knew what you wanted, you'd be able to simply speak a name, and have the object of your desire materialize out of thin air - regardless of whether you were using a smartphone or lazing in front of a TV set.

That's the vision Microsoft was building with Windows 8, with Windows Phone, and most intriguingly, with Xbox.

That vision is dead.

Today, the input device that made it all possible …

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Sony extends PS4’s lead over Xbox One despite ‘Titanfall’ launch

2014-04-17T19:03:07-04:00

Titanfall was the best-selling game for the month of March, according to NPD, but it didn't help Microsoft take the lead in the latest console war. Today, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One has shipped over five million units to retailers, but yesterday Sony reported selling seven million units of the PlayStation 4. That's a sizable lead for Sony, especially considering that Sony says those consoles were actually sold to consumers, not just those sitting on retail shelves. (The PlayStation 4 is frequently sold out.)

Still, it's important to note that neither company is losing this battle: both Sony and Microsoft's gaming machines are …

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Xbox Live outage cripples the launch of ‘Titanfall’

2014-03-11T22:20:24-04:00

Now is the absolute worst time for Xbox Live to be down. Today marks the debut of Titanfall, the game that could make or break the Xbox One game console. It's a masterpiece of mechanical manslaughter, and Microsoft pulled out all the stops for its release, delivering new system updates, new peripherals and even a "fix" for the Xbox One game controller ahead of its launch today. But now, as prospective US players return home from work to play the Xbox One's killer app, many are finding themselves unable to sign into their consoles and actually play the game.

Unable to sign in to Xbox Live on Xbox One? We're on the case to get this issue fixe …

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Xbox One March update begins rolling out today with multiplayer fixes and UI tweaks

2014-03-04T21:04:55-05:00

Microsoft says that its next Xbox One update will start rolling out today, less than a week before the launch of Titanfall. The update, detailed in February, will fix problems with joining and chatting with parties of your friends, prepare the console for the release of the Xbox One stereo headset and media remote, and add support for Twitch live streaming ahead of the service's launch on the console.

The update retools the console's UI, moving the user's friends list to the front and center of the Xbox One's friends homepage, and adds a list of recent players so users can send friend requests to amiable teammates. Players who set up partie …

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Xbox One gets its first price cut in the UK

2014-02-24T09:25:20-05:00

Xbox One lead 2040px

Microsoft is dropping the Xbox One's price in the UK to £399.99, down £30 from what it launched at just a few months ago. The new retail pricing will go into effect this Friday, and so far has only been announced for the UK. Microsoft is also opening preorders today for an Xbox bundle that includes a digital download of Titanfall at the same price in the UK or for $499.99, the Xbox One's current selling price, in the US. It's appeared that the Xbox One has been selling far slower than the PS4, and Microsoft seems to be hoping that it can counter that with a bundle of one of the most anticipated upcoming exclusives.

Though the Xbox One is be …

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Microsoft will ‘fix’ the Xbox One controller at the request of ‘Titanfall’ developer

2014-02-12T12:01:01-05:00

titanfall xbox one controller stock press 1020

Titanfall could be key to the Xbox One's continued success, and Microsoft is well aware. That's why the company is ironing out the Xbox One's kinks ahead of the game's March 11th release date. You might have heard that Microsoft will make some multiplayer tweaks and add a new headset adapter, but the changes go far deeper than that: Microsoft will also update the Xbox One controller specifically at the request of Titanfall's development team. According to Titanfall design lead Justin Hendry, an upcoming software patch will make the analog sticks more precise than before.

"It's just fixing the controller input, really," he tells The Verge, a …

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Combat evolved: ‘Titanfall’ is the first real next-gen shooter

2025-02-04T22:18:31-05:00

Titanfall could be the most important game in years. It's Microsoft's first Xbox One exclusive stab at the first-person shooter, the best-selling game genre there is. On March 11th, it could become the next Halo, the next Gears of War, at a time when neither of those beloved Microsoft franchises have stepped up. The title has the potential to be the killer app, the system-seller; this one game could potentially give Microsoft the lead in the latest console war.

That's not just hype. After three hours of playing the Titanfall multiplayer beta, I believe the game might actually have a shot. That's because, much like Halo when it first came ou …

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Xbox One will get multiplayer tweaks and headset accessories ahead of ‘Titanfall’ release

2014-02-11T09:01:04-05:00

xbox one logo (verge stock)

As an Xbox One system update rolls out later than expected this week, Microsoft has revealed more details on the multiplayer-focused improvements coming to the console next month. The Xbox One has come in for criticism over certain UI decisions that make some online functions less accessible than players might like, and the March update is focused around addressing those concerns. Microsoft also promises it will include "many more" unannounced features in the update and share more details leading up to its release.

The March update is focused around addressing multiplayer concerns

You'll now be able to access your friends list more quickly t …

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Xbox One gets battery life indicator with big February 11th update, more changes on the way

2014-02-05T09:00:02-05:00

Xbox One 1024px

With the Xbox One finally on the market, Microsoft has had a chance to hear feedback from actual buyers and customers. While the company has already addressed some minor TV and dashboard issues, it's beginning a new update process on February 11th by fixing a few of the console's most nagging issues. The new features are primarily focused on showing you what you've downloaded and installed: managing the storage space on your Xbox One is going to be easier than ever, and Microsoft is splitting My Games and My Apps into two separate lists to make managing a large library a lot easier.

Battery life indicator is making a welcome return

It's also …

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